wick¹ / wik/ • n. a strip of porous material up which liquid fuel is drawn by capillary action to the flame in a candle, lamp, or lighter. ∎  Med. a gauze strip inserted in a wound to drain it.• v. [tr.] absorb or draw off (liquid) by capillary action: these excellent socks will wick away the sweat | [intr.] synthetics with hollow fibers that wick well. PHRASES: dip one's wick vulgar slang (of a man) have sexual intercourse.wick² • n. 1. [in place names] a town, hamlet, or district: Hampton Wick Warwick. 2. Brit., dial. a dairy farm.

wick2 †dwelling; (dial.) town, hamlet OE.; farm XI. OE. wīc = OS. wīc (Du. wijk quarter, district, ward), OHG, wīh (G. in weichbild municipal area), Goth. weihs; prob. Gmc. — L. vīcus row of houses, quarter of a town, street, village, cogn. with Gr. oîkos house.

wick1 bundle of fibre by which a flame is kept supplied with fat. OE. wēoc (in candelwēoc), wēoce, corr. to MDu. wiecke (Du. wiek), MLG. wēke, OHG. wíohha (G. wieche), of unkn. orig.