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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Jouk, v. Also: jouke, jouck, jowk(e, juke, juick, giukke. [Of obscure origin. Prob. a palatalized var. of Douk v. Only Sc.]

1. intr. To move the body quickly downward, to avoid a missile, a blow, or the like; to duck. Also, to duck under water to avoid a blow. 1513 Doug. x. ix. 39.
Magus … jowkit in vnder the speir has he 1535 Stewart 4530.
It is ouir lait to juke quhen that the heid Is fra the hals 1570 Bann. Memor. 58.
To escaip his furie ye did precipitate your self in ane deip river, when his angelis … did follow you with two edged swordes; and euer quhan thai struike at ȝou, ȝe did declyne and jowke in the water 1660–1 (1723) Wodrow Analecta III. 96.]
[One Mr Alexander Rollock … said one day, merrily, to Mr Guthrie, ‘We have a Scots proverb, Juick, that the wave may go over you; will ye juick a litle, Mr Guthrie?’ Mr Guthrie answered, ‘Mr Rollock, there is no juicking in the cause of Christ’

2. To duck down out of the way or out of sight; to hide oneself by this action; to skulk. a1570-86 Doug. Maitl. F. lxiv. 21.
Falset joukis in everie clerkis hude 1533 Boece xiii. xi. 523.
He jowkit in covis and clewis c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i. 55.
I jowkit than but dout quhen I thame saw, Behind the bus, Lord, bot I liggit law 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 352.
I think it manhood to play the coward, and jouk in the lee-side of Christ 1683 Aberdeen Lett. 133.
To mak his escape to forang cuntrys, or to giukke ther 1685 Sinclair Satan's Invisible World xviii.
Nevertheless, if they love to juik under deck, like green-horns, having no courage in themselves 1740 Letter by Mr. John Dickson from the Bass Prison 5.
A lukewarm church … and self justification jouking under a smoaking bramble 1680 Copy of Letter by Mr. John Dickson when Prisoner in the Bass (1717) 13.
Me thinks I see the wanderers lying in the moss-hags, jowking up and down

3. To bob downward by bending the knees, as in genuflexion or making an obeisance; also, more generally, to bow. b. Freq. fig., to humble oneself, show deference or submissiveness. c 1540 Glencairn in Knox I. 73.
Hurkland with huides into our neck, Wyth Judas mynd to jouck and beck 1550 Knox III. 67.
Chryst commandeth not that one suld gase upon it, bow, juke and beck thairto, but that we suld eat and drink thairof our selves 1563 Ferg. Tracts 21.
Where are ye commanded at the ministration of the Sacrament, some tymes to juke and some tymes to nod? 1567 G. Ball. 105.
Jabell and Amon, als fat as ony swyne, Quhilk can not do, bot drink, sing, jouk & beck a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxix. 36.
I hait thraldome ȝit man I binge and bek, And jouk and nod sum patroun for to pleis 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xl. Dedic. 276.
That our watche men faint not, nor begin to iouk or flatter with the world for feir of tyrannis, bot that thay may haue … foirheidis of iron againis the threitnings of the wickit Ib. 277.
Not leaning to warldly wisdome, nor jouking for the pleasure of greit men in the warld 1600-1610 Melvill 644.
Quhen ony gentilman of his familiaris … wald ask him, howe he could so jouk and beir with the ministeres and presbyterie, that not only wald not acknowledge but controll him 1638 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 551.
Do not now jouk, or bow, or yield to your adversaries in a hair-breadth 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Discourse 8.
We flang oursels doon at his feet Our craigs laid to his knee And aye the laigher that we jowkit The higher up went we Ib. 13.
The geud-wife in'd me courteouslie; I jowk't (gl. bow'd) to her, she baik't (gl. kneel'd) to me

4. a. ? To bend or lean over, to topple. b. ? To fall away, sway, swerve. fig. 1513 Doug. viii. iv. 120.
Hercules it [the rock] smytis with a mychty towk Apon the rycht half, forto mak it jowke, Inforsyng hym to welt it our the bra 1573 Sat. P. xl. 152.
Ȝit bauldly be his baner he abaid, And did not iouk ane ioit from vprichtnes

5. Said of a conjurer: ? To make quick evasive movements or ? fig. To practise trickery. c1450-2 Howlat 789.
Thus jowkit with juperdys the jangland ja