A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1460, 1567-1609, 1667-1700+
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Smok(e, n. Also: smock, smoak(e, smokk-, smarck. [ME and e.m.E. smoc (c1200), smok (c1290), smock (a1320), smokke (Lydgate), smok(e (1559), OE smoc, ON smokkr (once), NFris. smok.]
1. a. A light garment. b. specif. A woman's undergarment. c. Night-smock, a night-gown.a. 1460 Hay Alex. 13195.
The folk war nakit had nocht on bot ane smoke … [: cloke] It was sa hete thai mycht na claithis wereb. a1568 Bannatyne MS 144b/6, 145a/12.
Betuix twa freiris, a maid in hir smok; Betuix twa cattis, a mowis … Freiris ar fers at maidis in thair smokkis 1667 Dumbarton B. Rec. App. i 9.
She saw Jonet Allan standing in hir smock 1685 Annandale Corr. 315.
I haue nott soe much as a smok, shut of night clothes but sum duds on me 1692 Presbyterian Eloquence (1692) 100.
Behold the vanity of women … [below three petticoats] there is a Holland smarck 1704 Inventory of Lady Ardchattan in Sc. Ant. I 129.
Four smoaksc. 1604-9 Grahame Anat. Hum. 31.
Night-smocks
2. A small sail on the foremast, a topsail. [Cf. 17th c. Eng. a smacke or mizzen sayle (Cotgrave). Cf. Smak hoy n.] 1579 Despauter (1579).
Supparus, ane smoke [1617 smoake] or top saill
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"Smok n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 12 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/smoke>
