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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Cheke, Cheik, n. Also: chek, schek; cheike, cheyke; chyke, chykk. [ME. cheke, OE. céc, céac.]

1. A cheek (of the face).(a) 1375 Barb. iii. 519 (E).
Wemen that can wet Thair chekys, quhen thaim list, with teris Ib. vi. 627.
Er and chek doune in the hals He schar a1400 Leg. S. vi. 83.
A seruand of the hous … Gafe hym a gret strak on the schek a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 1131.
The watter wet his chekis 1490 Irland Mir. fol. 218 b.
He … gaf hire twa gret blawis and strakis on baith hire chekis c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 107.
With his hard hurcheone skyn sa heklis he my chekis 1544 Treas. Acc. VIII. 279.
To ane wageour that was schot throuch the chekis at the said assege(b) c1475 Wall. i. 403.
Wallas with it fast on the cheik him tuk c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 291.
I vald him chuk, cheik & chyn 1531 Bell. Boece II. 272.
The teris fast halit ouir his cheikis 1549 Treas. Acc. IX. 307.
To ane barboure that mendit the ȝong maistres of Sympillis cheik 1560 St. A. Kirk S. 63.
He … wald say … he suld thrist his quhingar throch my cheikes 1571 Lanark B. Rec. 57.
Thairefter William Broun tuik him one [the] cheik with his nef a1578 Pitsc. II. 77/21.
So thai depairtit witht cheikis watt on baitht the sydis 1596 Dalr. II. 77/15.
Tha vset to cal him James with the fyrie countenance, becaus of a braid rid spott in his cheik 1616 Mure Misc. P. xi. 40.
Thoght my tears … my sorowing cheiks do stain 1651 Lamont Diary 26.
The most pairt of the nobelmen … had each a kisse of the king's left cheiketransf. c1540 Lynd. Syde Taillis 90.
I wald thay borrowstounis barnis had breikkis, To keip sic mist fra Malkinnis cheikkis a1540 Freiris Berw. 140.
Scho pullit hir cunt, and gaif hit buffettis tway Vpoun the cheikis(c) 1571 Diurn. Occurr. 235.
It [a young pig] haid … ane nois and mouth, ane brow, ane chyke, ane toung and luggis, lik to the similitude of man

b. In references to the punishment of branding on the cheek. 1497 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 71.
Thai … sallbe brynt on the cheik with the marking irne that thai may be kennit in tyme to cum 1498 Ib. 74.
Cutting of thair eiris, byrning of thair cheiks, and banesing of the towne 1529 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 124.
Ane byrne irne to be put vpone thair chekis that brekis ony of the saidis statutis 1538 Soc. Ant. II. 391.
The assys ordains the wedwyf and her dowther to … forsweir the town … under the payne of settyng of ane key on thair cheks 1569 Reg. Morton I. 44.
He suld … schortle burne and mark ws with het keis on our chykkis 1578 Inverness B. Rec. I. 264.
Thai salbe brynt on the cheik wyth ane byrne irne 1599 Elgin Rec. III. 71.
If this last be fund beggand he salbe brynit on the cheik 1629 Ib. 212.
Agnes Troup … salbe brunt vpon the cheik and dowkit 1635 Ann. Banff I. 73.
That scho be brunt with ane hoat key on the cheik and therefter scurgit

c. Cheke for cheke, cheek by jowl. (Cf. Cheeky.) a1568 9 Ord. Knavis 17 in a1568 Bann. MS. 157 b.
Troll-by … hovis him besyd, Cheik for cheik also and jakfallow lyk 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10375.
Sa cheik for cheik to his castell thay raid

2. A side piece or part; esp. one or other of the sideposts of a door or gate.See also dore-, dure-, ȝett-cheke. 1375 Barb. x. 229.
Quhen it [the wayn] wes set evinly Betuix the chekys of the ȝet 1501 Dunferm. B. Rec. 340.
The southt chek of the nethir yet of the sade Vilyamis yarde 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xliii.
The landwart peple settis oftimes cawdrounis … , at the cheik of the lin ?1549 Monro W. Isles 36.
The Swynes ile, … with ane guid heighland haven in it, the entrey quherof is at the west cheik 1559 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 50.
They fand the eister cheik of the Grayfreir port … failyeit 1574 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 17.
The new chop vpoun the eist cheik of the entry to the lordis loft 1587 Ib. 284.
Thre dowbill rwif sparris to be chekis to ye ledderis 1600 Acts IV. 209/1.
This deponer fand ane gartane at the cheik of the round dure among the bent 1627 M. Works Acc. XIX. 32.
Bigging the furnas with the cheikis of the chimley 1637 9th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 194/1.
Ane Inglis bit withe knapis ovirgilt on the cheik 1678 Alford Rec. 290.
The westmost cheik of the door of the Kirk of Keig 1694 Foulis Acc. Bk. 168.
A door peice and door … cheiks, lock, and bands