The noun is a clipping of freckle (noun). Freckle is derived from frecken (“(obsolete except UK, dialectal) freckle”)), from Late Middle English fracle, frekel, frekle (“freckle; pimple; fleck of colour in a stone”), a variant of frakne, freken (“freckle; other skin blemish”) from Old Norse freknur pl, an s-less variant of Proto-Germanic *sprekalą (“freckle”), from Proto-Indo-European *sp(h)er(e)g-, *(s)pregʰ- (“to sprinkle, strew”).
The verb is a clipping of freckle (noun) or freckle (verb).
Meanings
Synonym of freckle (“a small brownish or reddish pigmentation spot on the surface of the skin; any small spot which has a different colour from its background”).
The eggs [of the pine grosbeak] vary much, both in size and colouring; […] ground-colour pale blue-green, blotched and streaked with light purple and burnt umber spots and frecks; […] 1866 June, the Old Bushman [pseudonym], “The Waxwing, the Pine Grosbeak, and the Crossbills”, in The Intellectual Observer: Review of Natural History, Microscopic Research and Recreative Science, volume IX, number V, London: Groombridge and Sons […], →OCLC, page 349:
The noun is a clipping of freckle (noun). Freckle is derived from frecken (“(obsolete except UK, dialectal) freckle”)), from Late Middle English fracle, frekel, frekle (“freckle; pimple; fleck of colour in a stone”), a variant of frakne, freken (“freckle; other skin blemish”) from Old Norse freknur pl, an s-less variant of Proto-Germanic *sprekalą (“freckle”), from Proto-Indo-European *sp(h)er(e)g-, *(s)pregʰ- (“to sprinkle, strew”).
The verb is a clipping of freckle (noun) or freckle (verb).
Meanings
Chiefly followed by with. ▸ To cover (someone or something) with small marks or spots; to dapple, to freckle, to speckle.
The sky's unresting cloudland, […] / [N]ow parcelling the icy inane / highspredd in fine diaper of silver and mother-of-pearl / freaking the intense azure; […] 1929, Robert Bridges, “Book I: Introduction”, in The Testament of Beauty: A Poem […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 13, lines 277 and 283–285:
The tufted Crovv-toe, and pale Geſſamine, / The vvhite Pink, and the Panſie freakt vvith jeat, / The glovving Violet. 1637 (date written; published 1638), John Milton, “Lycidas”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC, page 63:
Sables, of gloſſy black; and dark-embrovvn'd, / Or beauteous freakt vvith many a mingled hue, / Thouſands beſides, the coſtly pride of courts. a. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Winter”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC, page 193, lines 813–815:
There ſhee a bloodleſſe Statue ſate, all freckt; / Her ſpotted minde the Marble did infect. 1626, Ovid, “The Second Booke”, in George Sandys, transl., Ovid’s Metamorphosis Englished […], London: […] William Stansby, →OCLC, page 43:
The painted windows, frecking gloom with glow, / Dusking the sunshine which they seem to cheer, / Meet symbol of the senses and the soul; […] 1869 December (indicated as 1870 January), James Russell Lowell, “The Cathedral”, in James Thomas Fields, editor, The Atlantic Monthly: A Magazine of Literature, Science, Art, and Politics, volume XXV, number CXLVII, Boston, Mass.: Fields, Osgood, & Co., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 6:
(figuratively) Chiefly followed by with. ▸ To scatter objects over (something).
The eve put on her sweetest shroud, / The summer-dress she's often in, / Freck'd with white and purple cloud, / Dappled like a leopard's skin; […] 1821, John Clare, “[Poems.] Rosy Jane.”, in The Village Minstrel, and Other Poems, volume II, London: […] [T. Miller] for Taylor and Hessey, […]; and E[dward] Drury, […], →OCLC, page 3:
From Middle English frecch, frecche (“bold, brave; fierce; greedy, voracious”), frek (“bold, brave; fierce; eager, zealous; fast, quick; greedy (?)”), from Old English frec, fræc (“audacious, bold; greedy”) from Proto-West Germanic *frek (“greedy”), from Proto-Germanic *frekaz (“greedy”), from Proto-Indo-European *preg- (“to covet; to yearn”).
Meanings
(Northern-England, archaic) Not showing proper respect; impertinent, impudent.
(Scotland, archaic) Bold, brave, courageous.
"There was none to challenge him but old Keltie, and the carrier Auchtermuchty," replied Randal; "unlikely men to slay one of the frackest youths in Scotland of his years, and who was sure to have friends and partakers at no great distance." 1820, [Walter Scott], chapter VII, in The Abbot. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Company, and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, pages 221–222:
(Scotland, archaic) Physically active and healthy; robust, vigorous.
[H]e's a freck aul' body at his age. 1887, John Service, “Doctor Gibson o’ Beith”, in The Life and Recollections of Doctor Duguid of Kilwinning. […], Edinburgh: Young J. Pentland, →OCLC, book II (Jenny Whalbert’s Cracks), page 210:
(Scotland, archaic) Often followed by for or to: eager to do something; also, quick to act when an opportunity arises; prompt.
["][T]his brother of thine, who is so frack, as the fellow called him, bears he the same wonderful likeness to thee as formerly?" / "If your Grace means in temper, you know whether I am so frack as the serving-man spoke him." / "Nay, thou art prompt enough in all reasonable conscience," replied the Queen; […] 1820, [Walter Scott], chapter VII, in The Abbot. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne & Co.] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Company, and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC, page 225:
Ae stride or twa took the silly auld carle, / An' a gude lang stride took he. / I trow thou art a freck auld carle, / Wilt thou show the way to me? [1825, Allan Cunningham, “The Young Maxwell”, in The Songs of Scotland, Ancient and Modern; […], volume III (in Scots), London: […] [Thomas Davison] for John Taylor, […], →OCLC, stanza 1, page 209: