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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Strak(e, Straik(e, Stroke, Stryk, v. Also: stroa(c)k(e. P.t. also stracked, streaked. [ME and e.m.E. stroke- (c1290), (north.) late ME also strak- (a1400-50), OE strácian.]

1. To rub gently, to stroke. a. tr. b. absol. or intr. Also const. down.a. pres. a1500 Henr. Fab. 759.
Straikand his wame aganis the sonis heit 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 189.
Venus henwyffis … That strakis thir wenschis hedis thame to ples 1513 Doug. xii ii 90.
The byssy knapys and verlettis of hys stabill … Dyd clap and straik thar leyndis to mak thame steir 1662 Crim. Trials III 609.
And this we say thryse over, straiking the sor, and it becomes heall a1689 Cleland 105.
He stroakes his beard, and rubs his chin, And clawes his luggsp.t. 1607 Soc. Ant. XXII 247.
The divill … straiked her shoulder … and … presently after that shoe was eased of her former paine 1615 Misc. Maitl. C. II 168.
In laying of the seiknes … William had upone Robert Broun … quha continewit therin almost mad tuo dayis quhill schoe cam and graippit his pulses and brow and straikit his hair backwards and saying he wald be weill 1643 Dalyell Darker Superst. 109.
[William Scottie] straikit the kow along the head, and then drew his hand upoun the cattis head, and shoe fell dead 1661 Soc. Ant. XXII 250.
Shoe confesses that the divill straiked her shoulder with his fingers 1662 Soc. Ant. XXII 223.
Ye stracked his side three several times with your luifp.p. 1574 Cal. Sc. P. V 54.
[That not only the murderers of her husband but of others should not have been … ] acceptit, [and, as the common proverb is] to haif thair hedis straiket thairfoir to thair awin contentmentb. (1) 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Mulceo, mitigo, to straike, to mitigate 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Demulceo, to clap, to straike with the hand(b) 1634 Wedderburn Gramm. 50.
Stroake(2) 1650 Brechin Presb. 31.
Jonat Couper … cam in to her house, … cam and satt down beside her and straiked down her thighe, which Isoble Kid perceiving, did deliver herself to God(b) 1662 Soc. Ant. XXII 230.
Marget Litster … streaked down his head twice or thrice(c) 15.. Dunb. App. iii 19.
Sum strykis down a threid bair cheik For luve, war bettir lat it be

c. tr. To strake (another's) hair bakwards, to strake (another) against the hair, to rub another's hair against its natural lie, hence, to irritate, annoy, provoke.Cf. the quot. 1615 Misc. Maitl. C. in a above, where this sense apparently does not apply. a1605 Montg. Sonn. xxxiii 6.
In hir vnhappy hands sho held my heed, And straikit bakuard wodershins my hair a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 994.
I will not be straiked against the hair

d. transf. To flatter, coax, make much of. ?c1675 J. Gordon Hist. I 55.
That in one sentence to sweare for to defende him against all, and in the next to defende one another against him, was to stroacke him, and stricke him, to blow hott and colde with one breathe

2. To brush (the hair). 1602 Treas. Acc. MS 161.
For the princes vse ane birs to straik hir hair

3. a. To apply (an ointment, unguent, etc.) by stroking. b. To rub (a part, etc.) with ointment, etc.a. 1588 King Cat. 72.
[The chrism] is in this sacrament straiked be solemn cæremonie vpon the forhead c1600 Misc. Spald. C. II xxx.
Remeid for the ringworme Tak the frothe of quheit saip and straik on the sairb. 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 188.
The mark was reid … and he cryit ay to straik it with reme for the birning 16… Nat. Lib. MS 22. 2. 11.
Thes oyllis ye must straik your haill boddie with efter ye come of the bath

c. fig. To strake cream in another's mouth, to flatter, ? mollify. Cf. 1 d above. 1619 Sel. Biog. I 81.
To establish bishops, they were straiking cream in our mouthes to persew papists 1658 R. Moray Lett. 232.
You stroke a litle cream in my mouth by the way c1680 W. Row Blair 427.
He closed his diocesan assembly and dined with them, offering to sit at the foot of the table. So it was thought by some to be a happiness to live in his diocese. Others thought he was but straking cream in their mouths at first

4. To level (grain) in a measure by means of a strake (Strak(e n.³) = SND Strik v. B 4. 1775 Paisley B. Rec. MS 30 Dec.
A set of new malt dishes were adjusted with the old ones … And as the former dishes were in use to be heaped or hand waved which was attended with some inconvenience, the present dishes were made of such a size as to hold as much when streaked, as the former ones did when heaped or hand waved