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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.

Sok, n.³ Also: sock(e, soke, soik, souk, sook. Pl. also sox. [North. ME and e.m.E. soke (1371), sok (1405-6), sokk (Cath. Angl.), sock (1691), OF soc (Wace), Gaulish *succos.]

1. A ploughshare.For further examples see Culter n., Pleuch n. 1 and Pleuch-graith.Also in the mod. dial. 1495 Prot. Bk. J. Young 179.
A sok, a culter thre solmes [etc.] 1500–1 Acta Conc. II 477. 1513 Doug. xi vii 55.
With scharp plewis and steill sokkis [L. vomere] seir Thai hard hillys hyrstis forto eyr 1514 Wigtown B. Ct. 26a.
For the vrangus haldyn fray tham off a sok 1516 Fife Sheriff Ct. 26.
The graith of hir pleuch that is to say somys, syderapis, culter, sok, schone [etc.] 1517 Misc. Spald. C. II 79.
Pleuchis, with thar ȝokkis cultar sokkis, and othyr pertinence … x ss. 1546 Prot. Bk. James Foulis 1.
Graith of iron viz. solme, culter and sokc1500-50 Pleuch-Song in Tools & Tillage I iii 178.
Sok sheet and mowdie bread 1567 Crail B. Ct. 21 Oct.
Certayne ploucht geir that is to say counter and sox a1568 Jok & Jynny 46.
It is weill kend I haif annwch … Ane spaid, ane speit, ane spur, ane sok 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics i 162.
Vomis, the sock of the pleuch 1606 Edinb. Test. XLII 219.
Ane pair of soukis harrowis [etc.] 1612 Orkney & Shetl. Test. I 9.
Ane auld sock of ane pleuche 1579, 1617 Despauter (1617) 17.
Socke 1644 Edinb. Test. LXI 2.
Ane soik 1658 Boyd Fam. P. No. 236 (27 Feb.).
A sook 1677 Kirkcudbr. Test. (Reg. H.) 30 Jan.
I leave William Cairnes either the sock or culter of the pleuch either of them that he pleases to chuse 1683 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 25 July.
To pay to James McMin smith … four shilling for putting on ane poynt vpon ane sock c1650-1700 Descr. Zetland 20.
Their ploughs, socks, & coulters slender & little

b. Coupled with culter in references to the symbolic ploughing of a furrow or the like in token of possession of a piece of land.The furrow was evidently sited on the boundary line, thus indicating unmistakably the extent of a person's possession. 1565 Reg. Great S. 381/2.
Concessit Michaeli Ogilwy de Cultis … terras de Nethir Skeith … prout tunc occupate sunt per lie sok et culter 1606 Rec. Earld. Orkney 182.
Quhilk judge [etc.] … hawand … tane diligent tryell of all landis debattabill … ordanis them … to part with culter and sok conforme to thair yarromungy, and everie ane … to haue thair just pairt a1700 Haigs of Bemersyde 477.
Which marches are trewly keepe on each syd … which determents Marton's right to com no further then cutter and socke

c. Sok and syith. Attrib. with land.Also in the later dial. 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Husbandland.
Sok & syith land: That is … sik land as may be tilled with ane plewch, or may be mawed with ane syith