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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HOOICK, n., v. Also hooack; huick (Bnff. 1808 Jam.); heuick; howick (Bnff., Abd. 1869 J. C. Morton Cycl. Agric. II. 723), howek; and dims. hooickie, huickie, hooycan. [′huɪk]

I. n. A small rick of corn or hay (Mry.¹ 1925; ne.Sc., Ags. 1957), also of peats set up to dry.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxii.:
I was jist gyaun awa' to tir that bit huickie that we wus takin' into the barn to thrash.Sc. 1890 H. Stephens Bk. Farm V. 86:
A “rickle”, “cole”, or “hooack” may contain from 6 to 8 or more stooks, according to the size of the stooks and length of the crop. The centre of the “rickle” is composed of 4 or 6 sheaves, all set up together, with the bottoms slightly out and the heads close together.Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Benachie 27:
When the corn “wis a' rickit” or “intae hooicks,” there followed many a hard morning's work at the flail.Abd. 1920 A. Robb MS.:
We had naething bit a bit howek i' the yard an' a laid i' the barn.Bnff. 1957 Banffshire Jnl. (23 July):
Efter the weemin hed rowed their barraw-fu's o' peats till a fairly flat an' dry place, the peats hed tae be set on their eyns, wi, three tae form a sma' hooycan or “ruckie” wi' een pitten on the tap tae haud them thegither.

II. v. To stack in hooicks. Commonly in vbl.n. heuicking, the process of preserving corn in hooicks during a rainy harvest (ne.Sc., Ags. 1957).Abd. 1949 Buchan Observer (20 Sept.):
An attempt to save the crops in an untoward season has sometimes been made by “heuicking,” or cocking, coling or hutting. The stooks some twelve to twenty or more are collected and built up in a diminutive rick, to a convenient height to top it from the ground without stool, or short ladder to finish.