Sick as a pike

[mattwhaley]

Does anyone know anything about the phrase "Sick as a pike" as i have never heard of it and the boss thinks it exsists.

[smudge]

Only ever heard of 'Sick as a Parrot'.

[Quizmonster]

I've never heard it used, but I imagine it is just a variant on the various 'sick as a...' phrases that have been used over time involving dog, horse, parrot - as Smudge has said - and various other creatures and things. The writer, Jonathan Swift, even used the phrase 'as sick as a cushion'! None of them is particularly realistic...horses, for example, cannot vomit...so why not add 'sick as a pike'?

[smudge]

Thanks Quizzy, you just jogged my memory - Sick as a Dog too of course!

[snook]

If your boss uses it, it exists.

[henneth]

Didn't Richard E Grant use the phrase in "Withnail and I"?

[andIMarwood]

Withnail did say it but I cannot find any history on it as well.