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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MAIK, n. Also maick, make, meek, me(c)k (Kcd. 1934 L. G. Gibbon Grey Granite 16); deriv. ¶maikin(s). A halfpenny (Sc. 1808 Jam., Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson). Gen.Sc. In pl. = money. Also used attrib. Phr. as daft or feel as a maik watch, completely silly (ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a), Dmb., Ayr. 1962). [mek]Lnk. 1816 G. Muir Cld. Minstrelsy 2:
Wee toddlin callans hain their orie maiks.Ags. 1818 G. Beattie John o' Arnha' 12:
But first they toss them up a maik, To learn what course they ought to take.Edb. 1821 W. Liddle Poems 83:
The Soger lads or navy blades, Should ay be recompens'd wi' makes For't a' their days.Slg. 1862 D. Taylor Poems 31:
An' that was ca'd threepence, twa maiks frae a groat.Ags. 1903 E.D.D.:
At weddings it was the custom (until quite recently at least) to throw coppers out of the window to the children in the street. These commonly shouted, “Maiks, maiks, maiks”.Abd. 1909 R. J. MacLennan Yon Toon 5:
Please, a make box o' skaillie.Lth. 1912 W. Cuthbertson Dykeside Folk 133:
A body that has nayther maikin's or mailin's, hoose or haud.Lnk. 1926 W. Queen We're a' Coortin 34:
They're as daft as a maik watch that gie's you the chance, Jean.Uls. 1929 M. Mulcaghey Rhymes 12:
The directors who control its every movement, Know its value as an antique to a “make”.wm.Sc. 1946 H. Reid Big Adventure 39:
She looked at the toys, but she hadna a maik. wm.Sc. 1979 Robin Jenkins Fergus Lamont 131:
Even when he was having ecstatic reviews and I either none or frivolous ones, when his books were making pounds and mine maiks,... Hebr. 1979 Iain Crichton Smith On the Island (1988) 82:
"A meek, a meek," the boy repeated. "You're not another of them. Do you not know what a meek is?"
"No," said Iain who was beginning to get a little frightened.
"A meek is a halfpenny."