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to sick

to sick

3 9.5
To tell a dog to attack or chase someone
  • verb
  • /sɪk/
  • Offensive
translation icon : azuzar
  • He sicked the neighbor's cat on the rat that was in his yard.

Examples

  • And then Mark sicked brick buyers on me.

  • You kids go home before I sick the constable on ya!

  • You sicked him on that cat, not me.

  • Didn't she threaten to sick her pet anthropologists on us at some point?

    Blog text (7)
  • I warn you, though, if you move to Georgia, you better get ready to make college football your number one sport, or they just might sick UGA the dog on you!

    Blog text (10)
  • He then sicked Bloodsucker on them to drain them of all their mutagen-laced blood.

    Blog text (15)
  • I will sick my dog on the intruder if he doesn't leave.

  • If you're upset, I can sick my friend on those bullies.

Synonyms

to set
vsto sick
  • NSFW
118 8.2

To make an animal or person attack someone

emphasizes urging animals specifically and often includes chasing
to sic
vsto sick
  • NSFW
11 9.9

Tell a dog or person to attack someone

focuses on urging animals, especially dogs, to attack or chase someone

Antonyms

1.0

To keep someone or something safe from harm

Idioms

sick of
  • Informal
522 5.8

Tired of something because you have had too much of it

sick and tired
  • Informal
117 5.3

Feeling very annoyed because you have had too much of something

Feeling like you will throw up

13 3.4

Away from work or school because you are ill

1 8.3

Away from work because you are ill

Very disappointed and upset because things did not turn out well

Very annoyed and no longer willing to accept someone or something

Phrasal Verbs

378 1.0

Become ill and have signs like fever or cough

109 1.7

To bring food or drink up from the stomach through the mouth

To feel sick and want to throw up because of motion or a strong smell

Compounds

55 1.0

A person who is ill

14 2.4

A period away from work because a worker is ill

sick joke
  • Offensive
12 7.9

A joke about cruel or shocking things that many people find upsetting

2 2.5

A bed where a person lies when they are ill or recovering

sick headache
  • Archaic
1 6.5

A severe headache that often makes you feel sick and unable to concentrate

1 2.5

A small disposable bag on planes for passengers to throw up into

sick call
  • Jargon
1 5.7

A set time when soldiers report to a medic if ill

1 2.3

Money a worker receives while they are off work because they are sick

sick list
  • Archaic
1 4.8

A list of people not at work because they are ill

A Roman Catholic ritual where a priest puts oil on a very sick person and prays for comfort

4.6

Feeling sick or dizzy when flying

milk-sick
  • Archaic
9.9

Sick after eating meat or drinking milk from animals that eat poisonous plants

pig-sick
  • Informal
9.8

Very ill or very fed up with something

3.2

Money the government pays to someone who cannot work because they are ill

7.5

A room on a ship where staff treat people who are ill or injured

sick parade
  • Jargon
8.2

A daily military meeting where soldiers report illnesses to a doctor

sick-abed
  • Archaic
9.9

Lying in bed because you are ill

sick-out
  • Literature
8.2

A group of workers who call in sick to protest and ask for change

7.7

Many people are absent from work or school because they are sick, causing big problems

How Aggressive

to set on
  • Offensive
8 5.8
to sick
  • Offensive
3 9.5
to incite
  • NSFW
72 7.7

Surface Forms

sick infinitive
sicked past
sicked past participle
sicking present participle
sicks third person singular

Etymology

Sick in the sense 'to urge an animal to attack' comes from an old hunting command sic! meaning 'attack', so to 'sick' a dog is to tell it to go after someone.