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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.

Lek, n.¹ Also: leck, laike, lake. [Corresp. to e.m.E. leke (1487), leak(e, Lieke n.²: ? MDu., LG. lek (Du. lek, Germ. leck, Da. læk), but cf. also ON. leke wk. masc.] A leak in a ship. Also b. the leaking of ships.Also idiomatically in to have lek to leak, and to spring, to strike (up), a lek.(a) 1513 Doug. vi. vi. 63.
The sewit barge, Sa ful of ryftys and with lekkis perbrake a1570-86 Schaw Maitl. F. cxlvi. 14.
Gif ȝe hauld ȝour sale ouir strek … Thair may cum stormes and caus a lek 1590 Crim. Trials I. ii. 211.
Convict … for … being of the foir-knawledge of the lek that strak vp in the Quenis schip c1650 Spalding I. 82.
Thir schippis wes miserablie bladit with lekis by striking on the sandis(b) 1589 Moysie 79.
The Queine … wes vnhable, be ressone of the leckes wes in hir … schipis, to come forduard 1597 Misc. 3rd Spald. C. II. 40.
Constranit to hald up … in Norroway quhill the leck was mendit c1620 Boyd Zion's Fl. 12.
I see a man that's in the lower deck, Hard fast asleepe not fearing storme nor leck a1658 Durham Blessedness Death (1713) 17.
O! its a right vessel that cannot haue leck a1661 Rutherford Lett. (1660) No. 28.
If there be a hole in it, so that it take in water at a leck, it will with difficulty mend again a 1672 Sel. Biog. I. 154.
We … grounded the ship to search some lecks in the Koyles of Boot Ib. 155.
We sprung a leck that gaue us 700 stroak of water in two pomps in the half-hour glassfig. 1629 Boyd Last B. 145.
There haue beene such lecks into mine heart, that except the Lord in time had pumped it with repentance [etc.](c) 1628 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II. 179.
A greate laike strooke up in thair shippe Ib. 452.
Haveing … caused sight the shippe … it wes found that she had a great laike in her keill(d) 1667 Lauder Jrnl. 167.
Coming out without the head … we dasht upon it which strake a lake in our ship wery neir my arme long a1688 Wallace Descr. Orkney 3.
A stone about the bigness of a foot-ball, which fell in the midst of the boat and sprung a lake in itb. 1628 Stirling Merch. Guild 47.
The same [sc. cloth] is skalmit be salt watter be the lek of the ships