sic
UK[sɪk]US[sɪk]
adv
Used in brackets after a quoted word or passage to indicate that an apparent error is part of the original text and not a mistake in quoting.
v
To set upon or attack; used chiefly in commands to a dog.
v
To urge or incite to hostile action; to set.
Etymology
The word 'sic' is a direct borrowing from Latin, where it is an adverb meaning "so, thus, in this manner." Its specialized use in English to denote "thus it was written" originated in the mid-19th century, employed by editors and scholars to confirm the accuracy of an unexpected or erroneous quotation. The verb sense, meaning "to attack" or "to set upon," emerged in the mid-19th century as a variant of the dialectal word 'seek,' used as a command to a dog. Despite their identical spelling, the two main uses—the editorial adverb and the command verb—have distinct etymological paths that converged into the modern English form.
Analysis
The word 'sic' is a simplex loanword from Latin. It functions as a complete, unanalyzable unit in its modern English usage.
Examples
The article quoted the mayor as saying, "The city's financial situation is prekarious [sic]."
The handler commanded his dog, "Sic 'em!"
His inflammatory speech was seen as an attempt to sic the crowd on the protesters.