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Word of the Week (139): THIGGIT (probability 31048), by David Sutton

THIGGIT, from the verb thig, to beg, is one of a family of curious past tenses belonging to verbs of Scots origin that can easily mislead: firstly you have to remember that THIGGIT itself is indeed a verb form and so does not take -S, and then you have to remember that there is in this case no THIGGED*, though most of the family do in fact take a normal alternative past in -ED.

Here are some more of the clan:

CLEEKIT from CLEEK, to catch. [CLEEKED is good, and there is also a particple CLAUGHT].
FLEMIT from FLEME, to put to flight. [No FLEMED*].
KEPPIT from KEP, to catch. [KEPPED is good, and there are also participles KEPPEN or KIPPEN].
LOUPIT from LOUP, to leap. [LOUPED is good, and there is also a participle LOUPEN].
LOWSIT from LOWSE, to loosen. [LOWSED is good, and LOWSE can also be an adjective giving LOWSER and LOWSEST].
POOKIT from POOK, to pluck, pinch. [No POOKED*].
POUKIT from POUK, to pluck, pinch. [No POUKED*].
SKELPIT from SKELP, to slap. [SKELPED is good].
SNODDIT from SNOD, to trim, tidy. [SNODDED is good, and SNOD can also be an adjective giving SNODDER and SNODDEST].
THREAPIT from THREAP, to rebuke. [THREAPED is good].
THREEPIT from THREEP, to rebuke. [THREEPED is good].

One should also mention FRABBIT, meaning peevish, likely to be well known as the delightful front hook to the bunny; Chambers actually gives this as an adjective, but it is clearly linked to the verb FRAB, to worry, with a normal past of FRABBED.

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