Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1898-1954
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0]
HECK, n.2, v.2 Also hek(k). Cf. Heckle, v.2, n.4
I. n. 1. A crutch (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., Sh. 1956).Sh. 1898 Shetland News (26 March):
Encumbered with a withered leg . . . our notable friend substituted for his recalcitrant, good-for-nothing crural appendage, a wooden "heck."Sh. 1916 J. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr (Jooly) 4:
A man wi a hekk can be king o da cripples.Sh. 1954 New Shetlander No. 40. 15:
It wisna lang till I wis hirplin roond on da hecks.
Hence derivs. heckie, he(c)kster, a cripple (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl.).
2. The pin or foot-rest of a Tusker or peat-spade (Ork.5 1956).
II. v. To walk with a limp or with the help of a crutch; to walk jerkily, to hop on one leg (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl.; Ork. 1956); "to trail along as if unable to walk properly" (Ork. 1929 Marw.); to walk slowly or feebly with a stoop.
[O.N., Icel. hækja, a crutch.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Heck n.2, v.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 4 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/heck_n2_v2>
