Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a second.

1897		Kipling ‘Slaves of the Lamp — Part I’ Complete Stalky & Co. (1987) 70: ‘Wait a sec,’ said Stalky.
1909		J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.
1917		Kipling ‘Regulus’ Complete Stalky & Co. (1987) 179: Better than you will, in a sec, Stalky.
1917		A. Brazil Madcap of the School 10: Scooterons-nous this very sec! Quick! Hurry!
1925		Dos Passos Manhattan Transfer 379: I’ll run up and fetch my kit. Wont take a sec.
1935		A. Christie Three Act Tragedy (1964) 157: Half a sec.
1949		L. Glassop Lucky Palmer 67: Just a sec, ‘Lucky’.
1958		H. Whittington Web of Murder (2000) 46: Friend. Just a sec, friend.
1969		A. Buckeridge Trust Jennings (1989) 32: The coach will be here in a sec.
1978		A. Maupin Tales of the City (1984) 19: Hang on a sec. I’ll come with you.
1983		A. Payne ‘Willesden Suite’ Minder [TV script] 61: Be with you in a sec.
1989		R.G. Barrett Boys from Binjiwunyawunya 302: Hold on a sec, love.
1996		P. Howard The Joy (2015) [ebook] I’ll stick it my hole now in a sec.
1997		C. McPherson The Weir 22‘Give me a sec’: I only saw her for a sec.
2002		R.G. Barrett Mystery Bay Blues 281: Would you excuse me for a sec?
2007		T. Dorsey Hurricane Punch 209: Give me a sec.
2010		L. Redhead Thrill City [ebook] Can you hold on for one sec?
2013		T. Robinson Hard Bounce [ebook] ‘Give me a sec’.
2019		M. Herron Joe Country [ebook] ‘Gimme a sec’.
2020		(con. 1991-94) W. Boyle City of Margins 20: ‘I got my load on [...] Let’s sit still for a sec’.
2024		J. Meades Empty Wigs (t/s) 893: It’s like picture puzzle. After few secs: is it up you are looking? Or is it down.

2. (also seck) a secretary.

1900		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘Paid at the Face Value’ Sporting Times 7 July 1/4: [She was] proceeding, one dark night, to the official trysting spot / Of a sisterhood to whom she was ‘hon. sec.’.
1913		Lincoln Daily News 29 Mar. in DN IV:ii 124: President Wilson Picked Live One as His Private ‘Seck’.
1913		Sport (Adelaide) 28 June 9/2: They Say [...] That Jack B., the hon sec., looks very flash with his new hat.
1939		Wodehouse Uncle Fred in the Springtime 150: ‘He kept asking me questions about my methods of work.’ ‘Ah, the two secs getting together and swapping shop’.
1941		K. Amis letter 13 Jan. in Leader (2000) 4: Our lit. sec. might just as well be stone dead.
2005		D. Jenkins Slim & None 159: My sec didn’t open letters that were personal from names she recognized .

3. (drugs) seconal.

1963

T.I. Rubin Sweet Daddy 61: You know, get him sec – neb or dex or something.