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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.

HULK, n., v. Also †hulke. Sc. usages:

I. n. A big unwieldy mass, a hump. Gen.Sc.Ayr. 1786 Burns Brigs of Ayr 105–6:
E'er they would grate their feelings wi' the view O' sic an ugly, Gothic hulk as you.Ayr. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ VI. 105:
The same operation is repeated on the open sides, till it becomes a round hulk.Sc. 1818 Scott Letters (Cent. ed.) V. 60:
The ugly hulk of stone and lime which no one but the Devil or Edinburgh bailies would have built upon the North Bridge.Ayr. c.1892 R. Lawson Ballads 14:
The wee bit green, wi' its hulks and howes.

II. v. To hang idly about (a place), to skulk, often with evil intent (Cai. 1902 E.D.D.; Sh., Cai., Ags., Fif. 1957), move furtively about. Gen. with aboot (Gregor). Also found in Eng. dials. Cf. Howk.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 83:
Twa ill-leukin' cabrachs o' cheels hae been hulkin'-aboot for a day or twa.Abd. 1880 G. Webster Crim. Officer 83:
She was af'en hulkin' aboot the markets.ne.Sc. 1888 D. Grant Keckleton 65:
Ae mornin' Birdie Briggs, frae the Gutter Wynd, comes hulking into my shop.

Ppl.adj. hulkin(g), mean, bad-tempered, uncouth, skulking.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 83:
He's a hulkin' swab o' a cheel, that.