Meaning
To fidget; jostle or shake.
Etymology
Origin: Old English
Probably an assibilated form of Middle English fiken (“to jitter; move restlessly; hustle; flinch; hasten away”), perhaps related to Old English befician (“to deceive”) or from Old Norse fika (“to climb up nimbly, as a spider”), akin to Norwegian fika (“to strive after”), Swedish fika (“to strive for; hurry”). See also fike.
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025.