From Middle High German spicken, from Middle Low German specken, analyzable as Speck + -en. The meaning “cheat at an exam” was possibly influenced by spähen (“to peek, spy”).
spicken (weak, third-person singular present spickt, past tense spickte, past participle gespickt, auxiliary haben)
infinitive | spicken | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
present participle | spickend | ||||
past participle | gespickt | ||||
auxiliary | haben | ||||
indicative | subjunctive | ||||
singular | plural | singular | plural | ||
present | ich spicke | wir spicken | i | ich spicke | wir spicken |
du spickst | ihr spickt | du spickest | ihr spicket | ||
er spickt | sie spicken | er spicke | sie spicken | ||
preterite | ich spickte | wir spickten | ii | ich spickte1 | wir spickten1 |
du spicktest | ihr spicktet | du spicktest1 | ihr spicktet1 | ||
er spickte | sie spickten | er spickte1 | sie spickten1 | ||
imperative | spick (du) spicke (du) |
spickt (ihr) |
1Rare except in very formal contexts; alternative in würde normally preferred.