sic

¹ American  

[sik] / sɪk /

Or sick

verb (used with object)

sicced, sicked, siccing, sicking

1. to attack (used especially in commanding a dog).

   Sic 'em!

2. to incite to attack (usually followed byon ).

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Sic. ² American  

abbreviation

1. Sicilian.

2. Sicily.

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SIC ³ American  

U.S. Government.

1. Standard Industrial Classification: a system used by the federal government to classify business activities for analytical and reporting purposes.

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sic ⁴ American  

[sik] / sɪk /

adjective

Chiefly Scot.

1. such.

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sic ⁵ American  

[seek, sik] / sik, sɪk /

adverb

Latin.

1. so; thus: usually written parenthetically to denote that a word, phrase, passage, etc., that may appear strange or incorrect has been written intentionally or has been quoted verbatim.

   He signed his name as e. e. cummings (sic).

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sic ¹ British  

/ sɪk /

verb

1. to turn on or attack: used only in commands, as to a dog

2. to urge (a dog) to attack

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sic ² British  

/ sɪk /

adverb

1. so or thus: inserted in brackets in a written or printed text to indicate that an odd or questionable reading is what was actually written or printed

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sic ³ British  

/ sɪk /

determiner

1. a Scot word for such

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sic Cultural  

1. A Latin word for “thus,” used to indicate that an apparent error is part of quoted material and not an editorial mistake: “The learned geographer asserts that ‘the capital of the United States is Washingtown [sic].’”

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Etymology

Origin of sic¹

First recorded in 1835–45; variant of seek

Origin of sic¹

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English (north and Scots); such

Origin of sic¹

First recorded in 1885–90; from Latin sīc

Example Sentences

In February, she introduced a bill, AB 1038, that would allow hunters to sic trained dogs on bears to chase them through the woods, but not kill them.

From Los Angeles Times

I was already planning on attending a friend’s Seder, and at least this task did not involve Yohana siccing an expert on me or making me host an elaborate event.

From New York Times

They set little traps for Hunham’s arrogance and sic their daddies on the administrators, who then bear down on him.

From New York Times

This put him in conflict with Shaw, who had once overseen the hospital, and who sicced health inspectors on Clinton’s cafeterias.

From Los Angeles Times

She sued producers for what she alleged were broken promises and sicced her lawyers on advertisers and publications she claimed had used her image without permission.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• arouse
• cause
• convince
• draw
• elicit
• help
• indicate
• induce
• inspire
• motivate
• persuade
• propel
• provoke
• spur
• stimulate
• suggest
• urge