A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Luke, n. Also: luk; luik(e, luyk, lwik; loik; louk, look; leuke. [ME. (c 1200) lok(e, look, f. Luke v.]
1. The action of looking; a look, a glance.At a luke, in the space of a luke, at a glance, in the twinkling of an eye.(1) a1500 Henr. Fab. 104 (Ch.).
Houngrie men may not leif on lukis [H. luikis, B. loikis] Id. Orph. 280 (Ch. & M.).
His wyf … Bot for a luke [B. luk] sa sone was hynt hym fro a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1080.
Sal neuer freik on fold … Gar me lurk for ane luke c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 136. Id. xx. 35.
Be nocht in countenance ane skornar, nor by luke c1515 Asl. MS. I. 168/8.
Men that has precious stanis in thair eyne that will sla men with thair luke 1513 Doug. viii. ix. 118.
Govand apon thar bryght armour … So fer as that thar luke mycht thame attane Ib. xii. i. 8.
As euery wight To that effect addressyt thar luke and sycht 1535 Stewart 13404. 1599 Rollock Wks. I. 301.
My luke is not set upon thir visibill thingis(b) 15.. Clar. v. 2041.
His knightheid scho enforcit with hir luike 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I. 115.
[A disease which] he haid gotin be the dink and luike of ane euill ee(c) 1600 Reg. Privy C. VI. 168.
[That his majesty] will accompt ane louk to be gewin at this tyme as a cryme of mutillatioun, and ane straik … as a cryme of treasoun(2) a1400 Leg. S. xvii. 46.
The quhilk, quhat thinge it ourtuke A[s] fyr gregois brynt at a luke c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 232.
Sudaynly, in the space of a luke, All was hyne went
b. With epithets or descriptive contexts. Passing into sense 2. Also fig.sing. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2622.
The uolf … With girnand teith and awfull angrie [B. angry austre] luk, Said to the lamb [etc.] c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 231.
Gret ene and ronde … And staitlie luke and lordlie and litill gleyd c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 115.
Crabbit Saturn … His luke was lyke for to perturb the aire Ib. 123. Id. Tua Mar. W. 267.
Be of ȝour luke like innocentis Ib. 420.
I drup with a ded luke Ib. 188, 229. Id. xxi. 43, xlii. 37, xlviii. 93, etc. 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 120.
With a luke onlufsum he lent me sic wordis 1535 Stewart 12956.
With lyoun luke 15.. Clar. v. 1323.
With ane stedfast leuke debonarlie Scho all beheld the mirrie companie 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5969. 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 13.
In presence of the Regent … scho cast ane pietious luik 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xxxix. 150.
Auld Capetan Leirmount with ane luik to bang thame c1590 J. Stewart 68/116. Ib. 226. § 105.
Vith luik obscuir and phisuomie detort c1590 Fowler I. 108/105.
When that a quik and gallant lwik did mak me crawe to … behoulde the trowpeplur. 1513 Doug. xiii. v. 66.
Quhar is now … thyne eyn twan With thar sweit blenkand lukis 1535 Stewart 12952. 15.. Clar. ii. 1864.
With secreit blenkis … With smylling loukis full of cherising 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii. 127.
Haue lyounis lukis and than mak me ane lear 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 30.
Johnne Hamiltoun … quhome with mery lukis and gentill contenance … scho enterit in the game of the glaiksfig. 1651 Dickson Matthew 3.
The mason-like looks of his conscience, levelling its eye to each action [etc.]
c. (To take, have, get, etc.) a (close, cursory, etc.) look (= sight, inspection, examination) of anything. d. To have a look, to have an eye, to intend (to do something).c. 1622-6 Bisset II. 320/17.
And sua it is that at the first luik or sicht of these nottis of the samyn, ȝe may get suir knawlege thairof 1669 Jus Populi 194.
The surveyer who useth to take but half a look of matters 1672 M. Bruce Rattling Dry Bones 7.
For it is ay heartsom to have ay a broad look of our own case Ib. 10.
It is but an overly look that ye have gotten of it, ye have never been at the heart of the … case a1700 Charters Spiritual Disc. 10.
If you will take a narrow look of them 1685-8 Renwick Serm. 272.
Take a look of what sin hath done to us this dayd. 1683 Wodrow Hist. III. 457.
I could not argument for the truth as others, but I neuir had a look to go back, nor one wrong thought of God
2. Personal appearance or aspect, ‘looks’. Also plur. in same sense. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 79.
Thar luk, thar ferys and thare pais c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 152.
Ane thowsand kiddis … Thy lymmerfull luke wald fle thame Ib. 175.
Thy ghaistly luke fleys folkis that pas thé byplur. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 169.
The larbar lukis of thy lang lene craig
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