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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Seking, Seiking, Siking, vbl. n. Also: seick-, seak-, seek-, seck-, sick-, syk- and -eing, -inge, -in(e, -yn(e, succand. [ME and e.m.E. sekyng(e (Manning); Sek(e v.] The action of seeking, in various senses of Sek(e v., or an instance of this: a. tr. b. intr. or absol.Also serching and seking in various of the applications.a. (1) a1500 Lanc. 2501.
And Gawan which was in the seking ȝhit Of the gud knycht 1491 Acta Aud. 151/1.
That deligent lawbir be maid for the seiking of the kingis evidentis 1542 Ayr Common Good Acc.
For seking and hamebringing of the tymbir that the spait tuke away 1578 Glenartney Doc.
Be daylie hanting reparing travelling and seiking of thair guidis within our said forrest 1579 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 218.
In sersing sekyne and aprehendition the said Jame Skynner gudis 1589–90 Ayr B. Acc. 163.
[The young men] directit furth for seiking of the Ireische piratis 1622 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 136.
That na nychtbors havand wyne bere aill nor other viands to sell refuse the same to … ony of our sovrane lord's leigis succand the saim and offerand payment thairfor 1660 Aberd. Council Lett. IV 35.
The persone wich was imployed all this night for sicking of Warrestone 1679 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 20 Sept.
Spent at a meitting with Mr. Da: Scringer & Mr. John Preston for secking [transcr. setling] the warkmen 1684 Fawside Coal Compt 134.
Of expenses of sicking the karts & breid to them £1(2) a1538 Abell 125b.
It is hewy laubour in seking of warldlie glore 1560–1 Inverness Rec. I 48.
[The] costis … he sustenis … in the sykyn of the same said droge 1622 Bk. Old Edinb. C. XX 98.
For … not siking consent of the dekinspl. 1582 Burntisland B. Ct. fol. 2b (27 April).
Togidder with all costis … that the said Johine Aitkin sall mak or sustene in persuit or seikings off the said sowme(3) 1603 Inverness Rec. II 22.
That thai wer never in art nor part in seickinge or practeisinge of the lyicke [sc. healing charms] 1623 Perth Kirk S. MS 24 July.
For consultatioun with wischeis in seiking helth at theme … to hir bairne 1634 Kirkcaldy Presb. 73.
In seikeing help for thair harborie 1658 J. M. Beale Fife Schools 134.
To be assisters to and payers of the schoolmasters charges in seeking of his stipend(4) 1512 (c1580) Edinb. B. Rec. I 138.
Anent the clengeing of this towne and infectit geir, sercheing and seiking of infect places [etc.] 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. II 162.
For ther wageis … in casting of the red and seiking of the ground of the said dike 1645 Caldwell P. 123.
For seiking of the register to get the auld gift of the ward 12 s.b. (1) a1500 Lanc. 2224.
Yhe lordis, wich that in this seking gais 1559–60 Soc. Ant. XI 522.
Efter lang sersing and seking thai apprehendit the said chenye(2) 1543 Reg. Privy S. III 42/1.
For the slauchter of umquhile James Lausoun … [and] of the said James aune persute and seiking(3) 1576 Digest Justiciary Proc. I 25.
Scho could never apprehend it and maid greit seiking thairfoir 1579 McKay Kilmarnock 35.
Thair to remain for seiking for cure and remedy of his saidis diseasis(4) a1500 Sir Eger 676.
I trow he will But little seeking [sc. in marriage] make you till c1650 Spalding II 89.
Thir ministeris … cam not be the tounes seiking, or frie electioun(5) a1400 Leg. S. i 176.
He sall find it opynly In-to the tende chapitere, For-owt sekine fere or nere

c. With out, in.(1) 1574–5 Day-bk. J. Cokburn 10.
To awys … about the … seiking out of the tounis ewidentis out of Robert Scottis hand 1596 Dalr. II 248/1.
Sum Dutche men had skill in seiking out of mettelis 1608–9 Ayr B. Acc. 242.
[The Dean of Guild's fee] in seiking out of gildis and in the ressait of the silvir 1633 Peebles Gleanings 137.
Two candill at the seiking out of King James chartour furth of the kist(2) 1653 Lanark B. Rec. 149.
Desyrand that the bayllies and counsell may … concur in the seiking in of the money 1675 Rec. Univ. Aberd. 339.
By the regents ther giving ther oathes to forbear that practise in seeking in of scholleris 1693 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 2 Sept.
For seakin in the servants

d. In (a-)seking, requiring to be looked for, absent, not to be found. a1568 Kid Bann. MS 93a/80.
Thairfoir in tyme thow get intelligence Or ellis thy wisdome sall in seiking be a1568 Bann. MS 158a/32.
Quhen his maister him missis thair mon be keiking For to gett that said schrew for he is oft a seiking 1596 Dalr. II 412/7.
That nathing be lost or ony way a seiking

e. That which one seeks, the object of one's seeking. a1400 Leg. S. xii 437.
Til hyme-self one the thryd day Askyt thare sekyne