198 TEESDALE TLACE-NAMES. 



coast larger than a creet, but smaller than a bay, whose two 

 containing sides make an angle similar to that of the lips termi- 

 nating in the cheeks. It is remarkable that in the Scotch dia- 

 lect this is always termed the icich of the mouth. It does not 

 therefore appear that there is the least affinity between ivich and 

 vicus. The former vocable is for the most part, if not always, 

 maritime ; the latter, from the meaning of the word, can have 

 no possible respect to situation." P. Canisby, Caithn. Stat. Ace, 

 viii., p. 162. N. 



"All those places whose names terminate in ic, which in the 

 Danish language is said to signify a bay, as Tosgic, Ctiic, Dihic, 

 and Shiltic have each of them an inlet of the sea." P. Applecross, 

 Boss. Stat. Ace, iii., p. 381. 



I can observe no similar Gaelic word signifying a bay. 



Suio-Goth. n•^7^, angulus, sinus maris ; A.-S. loic, sinus maris, 

 aut fluminis portus. 



Weih, iveeh, a corner or angle. The weiJcs of the mouth, the 

 corners or sides of it. North Engl. The iveik of the ee, the cor- 

 ner of it. It is sometimes written loick. Suio-Goth. icih, angulus, 

 oegenwik, the corner of the eye. Alem. genuig, id. Perhaps 

 hoech, angulus, is the same radically. Perhaps also the German 

 eche, corner, angle, nook, edge. The terms in different languages 

 originally denoting any angle or corner have been particularly 

 applied to those formed by water. A.-S. wic, the curving beach 

 of a river; Teut. wijh, id.; Isl. vik^ a bay of the sea, whence 

 pirates were called viking-ur, because they generally lurked in 

 places of this description. 



The town of Wick, in Caithness, seems to be denominated 

 from its vicinity to a small bay, although it has been otherwise 

 explained. The ancient and modern name of this parish, so far 

 as can be ascertained, is that of Wick, an appellation common 

 over all the northern Continent of Europe, supposed to signify 

 the same with the Latin word vicus, a village or small town 

 particularly when lying adjacent to a bay or arm of the sea, re- 

 sembling a wicket." P.Wick. Caith. Stat. Ace, X., 1. Jamieson- 



'^Wik, angulus, hinc ogonwik est angulus oculi; sinum maris, 

 incurvum maris recessum. Wik, castellum, A.-S. vie, Belg. wijh 



