publick

publick (comparative more publick, superlative most publick)

1. Obsolete spelling of public.
   • 1652, Alexander Giraffi , “The Second Tumults Happened in the City of Naples, Held to be Hotter and Higher than the Former, which Succeeded the 7. of July”, in James Howell, transl., An Exact History of the Late Revolutions in Naples;  H Esqr. In Two Parts.">…], revised edition, London: R Lowndes , published 1663, →OCLC, part II (The Second Part of Massaniello,  of Guise Made Generalissimo; Taken Prisoner by Young Don John of Austria. The End of the Commotions.">…]), page 43:

     he ſaid Palumbo vvas reſtrain'd to Saint Lorenzo; but being a popular man, and one knovvn to be a good Patriot, and of a publick ſoul, and a perſon of integrity; there vvere four thouſand of the beſt armed men joyn'd together, to vindicate and free the ſaid Palumbo,

   • 1660, William Lower, transl., A Relation in Form of Journal, of the Voiage and Residence which the Most Excellent and Most Mighty Prince Charls the II King of Great Britain, &c. hath Made in Holland, from the 25 of May, to the 2 of June, 1660. , The Hague: Adrian Vlack, →OCLC, page 4:

     The Parliament alſo permitted General Monck to ſend M^r Clarges his brother-in-law, accompanied vvith ſome Officers of the Army, to aſſure his Majeſty of the fidelity and obedience of the Army; vvhich had made publick and ſolemn proteſtations thereof, after the Letter and Declaration vvas communicated unto them by the General.

   • 1664 January (first performance), Robert Howard; , “The Indian Queen, a Tragedy”, in Four New Plays, , London: Henry Herringman, , published 1665, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i, page 161:

     Suppoſe I ſhou'd ſtrike firſt, vvou'd it not breed / Grief in your publick heart to ſee her bleed?

   • 1667, J G, Some Philosophical Considerations Touching the Being of Witches and Witchcraft. , London: E C for James Collins , →OCLC, page 5:

     tanding publick Records have been kept of theſe vvell atteſted Relations, and Epocha’s made of thoſe unvvonted events.

   • 1697, Virgil, “The First Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. , London: Jacob Tonson, , →OCLC, page 68, lines 639–640:

     In Iron Clouds conceal'd the Publick Light: / And Impious Mortals fear'd Eternal Night.

   • 1723, , The History and Remarkable Life of the Truly Honourable Col. Jacque, Commonly Call’d Col. Jack, , 2nd edition, London: J Brotherton,  Payne, near Stationers-Hall; W Mears, at the Lamb, and A Dodd, at the Peacock without Temple-Bar; W Chetwood, in Covent Garden; J Graves, in St. James’s-Street; S Chapman, in Pall Mall, and J Stagg, at Westminster-Hall.">…], →OCLC, page 340:

     I VVas not ſo publick here, as to be very vvell knovvn, at leaſt by any one that had Knovvledge of me in the Country vvhere I liv'd; and this vvas indeed my ſafety aftervvard, as you vvill ſoon hear;

   • 1729, , A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People from Being a Burthen to Their Parents, or the Country, and for Making Them Beneficial to the Publick, Dublin: S Harding, , →OCLC, page 16:

     I Profeſs in the ſincerity of my Heart that I have not the leaſt perſonal Intereſt in endeavouring to promote this neceſſary VVorks having no other Motive than the publick Good of my Country, by advancing our Trade, providing for Infants, relieving the Poor, and giving ſome Pleaſure to the Rich.

   • 1731 (date written), Jonathan Swift, “An Epistle to Mr. Gay”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, , new edition, volume VIII, London: J Johnson,  Nichols, R Baldwin, Otridge and Son, J Sewell, F and C Rivington, T Payne, R Faulder, G and J Robinson, R Lea, J Nunn, W. Cuthell, T Egerton, Clarke and Son, Vernor and Hood, J Scatcherd, T Kay, Lackington Allen and Co., Carpenter and Co., Murray and Highley, Longman and Rees, Cadell Jun. and Davies, T. Bagster, J. Harding, and J Mawman.">…], published 1801, →OCLC, page 118:

     I knew a brazen minister of state, / Who bore for twice ten years the publick hate. / In every mouth the question most in vogue / Was, When will they turn out this odious rogue?

   • 1742, , “Letter X. From Miss Darnford to Her Father and Mother.”, in Pamela; Or, Virtue Rewarded. , 3rd edition, volume IV, London: S Richardson; and sold by J. Osborn, ; and J Rivington, , →OCLC, pages 59–60:

     oor Houſekeepers, vvho vvill be glad to accept of ſome private Benefactions, and yet, having lived creditably, till reduced by Misfortunes, are aſhamed to apply for publick Relief:

   • 1791, James Boswell, quoting Samuel Johnson, “”, in James Boswell, editor, The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. , volume II, London: Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, , →OCLC, page 440:

     It is vvonderful, Sir, vvith hovv little real ſuperiority of mind men can make an eminent figure in publick life.

   • 1861 January, “A Visit to the Asylum for Aged and Decayed Punsters”, in The Atlantic Monthly. A Magazine of Literature, Art, and Politics, volume VII, number XXXIX, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor and Fields, ; London: Trübner and Company, →OCLC, page 114, column 1:

     Our late distinguished townsman, Noah Dow, Esquire, as is well known, bequeathed a large portion of his fortune to this establishment,—"being thereto moved," as his will expressed it, "by the desire of N. Dowing some publick Institution for the benefit of Mankind."

publick (countable and uncountable, plural publicks)

1. Obsolete spelling of public.
   • 1665, Robert Boyle, “Occasional Reflections. Discourse XI. Upon a Danger Springing from an Unseasonable Contest with the Steersman.”, in Occasional Reflections upon Several Subiects. Whereto is Premis’d a Discourse about Such Kind of Thoughts, London: W. Wilson for Henry Herringman, , →OCLC, section IV (Which Treats of Angling Improv’d to Spiritual Uses), page 78:

     t is not only requiſite that the Prince knovv hovv to command vvell, but that the Subjects obey vvell; and that even vveak Counſels, faithfully aſſiſted, and as much as may be rectified or repaired by thoſe that are to Execute them, may leſs prejudice the publick, than the frovvard and jarring endeavours of Men, that perhaps vvould be vviſer Rulers if they had a right to be so.

   • 1824 June, , “Narrative of Alan Fairford, Continued”, in Redgauntlet,  In Three Volumes.">…], volume II, Edinburgh: ">…] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 291:

     hese inconsiderate lads will be out of the house, and away to the publicks, wasting their precious time, and, it may be, missing the morning tide.