stericksn.
/ˈstɛrɪks/, U.S. /ˈstɛrɪks/ colloquial. Now rare.
A bout or display of overwhelming, uncontrollable emotion or agitation, esp. as a result of acute distress. Cf. hysterics n.In early use also with the.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > excitement > nervous excitement > unhealthy excitement > [noun] > hysterics
hysterics1664
stericks1765
hystericals1797
high strikes1809
meemies1927
1765 S. Foote Commissary iii. 63 Fun. Fye upon you, you have thrown the old gentlewoman into the stericks.
1836 C. Dickens Pickwick Papers (1837) xvi. 159 She screams wery loud, and falls into 'sterics.
1859 C. Bray Let. 26 June in ‘G. Eliot’ Lett. (1954) III. 94 We had Sara in strong stericks all the way home, because she had missed her final chance of explanation and advice from you.
1924 Derby Daily Tel. 24 Dec. Jonny's woife 'ad bin radin' about th' Mormons, an' thowt in a minit they'd com fur her, so she went off inter 'stericks, an' Jonny nipped inter kitchin an' got his gun.
1961 W. Williams tr. D. J. Williams Old Farmhouse 119 To the visitor to the house..Uncle Jâms's whims and ‘stericks’ only added to the amusement that was to be had there daily mixed with the hard work.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2020; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1765- safe and sound
- safe and sure
- safe area
- safe as
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- safe as houses
- safe bet
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- safe come, safe go, safe stay
- safe conduct
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