rycka

Inherited from Old Swedish rykka, rykkia, from Old Norse rykkja, from Proto-Germanic *rukkijaną. Doublet of rucka.

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rycka (present rycker, preterite ryckte, supine ryckt, imperative ryck)

1. to yank, to jerk, to pull quickly

   rycka loss ett hårstrå

   pull out [loose] a hair

   rycka upp ogräs

   pull up weeds

   rycka i startsnöret till gräsklipparen

   pull the starter cord of the lawnmower

   rycka tag i någon

   snatch a hold of someone

2. (usually impersonal) to twitch (of (part of) the body)

   Det ryckte i hans arm

   His arm was twitching

   rycka i ögat

   have an eye twitch

   Han ryckte till

   He flinched [twitched till (expresses a sudden and brief action)]

   • 1992, Benny Astor, Figge Boström, “Gunga [Swing]”‎^[1]performed by Apopocalyps:

     Du är så söt, så oskuldsfull. Försöker stå men du ramlar omkull. Jag rycker till [expresses suddenness], du fnittrar glatt. Med stora ögon brister du ut i ett skratt, i ett skratt.

     You are so cute, so innocent. Try to stand but you fall over. I flinch, you giggle happily. With wide eyes you break out into a laugh, into a laugh.

4. to move (quickly, with a purpose – see also dra)

   Soldaterna ryckte fram i skydd av mörkret

   The soldiers advanced under cover of darkness [pulled forth in protection of the darkness]

   1. (especially sports) to suddenly increase one's speed; to make a dash

      rycka på upploppet

      make a dash on the home stretch

      1. (with ifrån) to pull away, to pull ahead (move into the lead or increase one's lead (move (further) away from competitors), as a consequence of increasing one's speed)

         Skidåkaren ryckte ifrån klungan

         The skier pulled away from the pack

Rycka and dra (“pull”) have some overlap with how pull is sometimes used for more general movement in English in (sense 3), though it's not perfect. You can't "rycka/dra" ("yank/pull") into a driveway, for example.

• ryck
• ryckig
• ryckning

• dra
• knycka
• knäcka
• rygga

• rycka in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• rycka in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• rycka in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• rycka in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)

• rycka in Svensk ordbok.