milt-sick

English

Alternative forms

• miltsick, melt-sick

Etymology

From Old English milte seoc, literally, “spleen-sick”. By surface analysis, milt +‎ sick.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɪlt sɪk/

Adjective

milt-sick

1. Having a disease of the spleen. [10th century]
   • 1807 [1783], Transactions, volume 25, Royal Society of Arts, Colonies and Trade, page 171:

     Each buss-master shall diligently attend to the sorting of the fish, by separating the full from the poor ones, and not mixing the sound with the night-refuse, roe-sick, milt-sick, stinking or unsightly herrings;  […]

   • 1891 September 10, H. W. Browne, Agricultural Journal, volume 4, number 5, Department of Agriculture of the Cape Colony, Milt-sick Blood-poisoning, page 58:

     Sir,—In the Agricultural Journal of the 16th ult. appears a lengthy letter signed by Mr. Andrew Smith, treating on the symptoms and remedies for Milt-sick Blood-poisoning.

   • 1824, Thomas Gill, Technical Repository, volume 6, London: T. Caddell, Strand, page 5:

     All herrings which in the re-packing, whether at sea or after arrival in Holland, require to be heightened (filled up), must only be filled up with herrings of the same night's taking and assortment; and no barrels must, on any account, be filled up with herrings of a later date, far less with milt-sick, roe-sick, or spent fish:  […]

2. (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:) (South Africa) Having anthrax (milt-sickness).

Derived terms

• milt-sickness

See also

• roe-sick (“of female fish, full of roe”)

References

• “milt-sick, adj.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.