sic
/sik/
The French verb sic means to chase, to attack or to set upon.
The word sic is a verb used to describe the act of chasing, attacking or setting upon someone or something.
Meaning: to chase, to attack, to set upon (verb)
How do you pronounce it?
/sik/
Did you know?
- English speakers often use sic in brackets to show a typo in a quote, a usage that remains identical in French scholarly writing.
- The word sic is a Latin borrow, meaning 'thus' or 'so', but it is not used in modern French to mean 'to chase'.
Example conversation
Lucas and Chloé are discussing a guard dog.
- LucasRegarde ce chien, il a l'air méchant.Look at that dog, he looks mean.
- ChloéOui, son maître pourrait le sic sur nous.Yes, his owner could sic him on us.
- LucasEspérons qu'il ne le fera pas.Let's hope he doesn't do that.
- ChloéRestons loin de lui pour être sûrs.Let's stay far from him to be sure.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sic, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sic, CC BY-SA 4.0.
