Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rake, v.¹ [ME and e.m.E. raken, OE racian, perh., OED conjectures, = Sw. raka v. run, rush, slip, etc.See the etymological note to Raik v., from which this verb is, esp. in later use, not formally distinguishable.] intr.Some of the quots. given below may properly belong to Raik v.

1. Of a person: To proceed with speed; to move rapidly. Passing into: b. To make one's way. = Raik v. 1.With locative complement.Also fig. a1400 Leg. S. xxviii 436.
The maydine … rakit to that body rath, & hynt hyme harskly be the hare c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 12476.
Than King Porrus hes tane his swerde in hand And come to Alexander on fute rakand c1475 Wall. vi 429.
Furth fra his men than Wallace rakit rycht Ib. xi 1336.
To Wallace than he rakyt in thar sicht And sadly hard his confessioun till ane end 1513 Doug. i vi h. of ch.
Ene at morow rakand throu the schaw Met with hys modir Ib. viii iii 67.
Syne furth togiddir rakyt thai on raw Ib. xii xii 224.
Than suddanly to the speir rakis scho, Baith schaft and hed … from the deip rute hes rentfig. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1317 (Asl.).
This cors that rakis to rewyne

2. Of animals: To move across, or in search of, pasture. = Raik v. 2. 1513 Doug. iii iv 23.
Herdis of oxin … rakand our alquhar Ib. vi x 59.
Wydquhar al lows owr feildis and the land Pasturyt thar horsis rakand thame fast by Ib. xii Prol. 177.
Vnder the bewys beyn … The bustuus bukkis rakis furth on raw

b. To stray. — 1533 Boece 373.
Gif thi nychtbouris beist be fundin rakand [L. aberrans pecus], thow sal deliuer it to the awnare