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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.

Swak, n. Also: suak, swake. [Prob. onomatopoeic. Cf. MDu. swacken to shake, wave.] A hard blow or whack; a violent impetus or dash.See also Out-swak n. 1375 Barb. v 643.
The king sic swak him gaiff, That he the hede till the harnys claiff a1400 Leg. S. i 586.
He tuk sic a swak, That harnise, and sched, & body, all fruschit in pecis ?1438 Alex. ii 1895.
With the tother hand sik ane suak He raucht [etc.] c1420 Wynt. ix 1574.
And wyth a swake thare off his swerd … He straik the Lyndesay to the bane a1500 Henr. Fab. 2076.
He hint him be the heillis, And with ane swak he swang him on the creillis c1500-c1512 Dunb. (STS) lxxii 76.
Thai leit him fall doune with ane swak, Quhill cors and corps and all did crak 1513 Doug. i iii 22.
Heich as a hill the iaw of watir brak, And in ane hepe cam on thame with a swak 1513 Doug. v viii 10.
Now, hand to hand, the dynt lychtis with a swak 1513 Doug. xii v 169.
Sum in haist with a lowp or a swak Thame self vpcastis on the horsys bak 1531 Bell. Boece II 511.
Sum time rasand this traitour … hie in the aire, and leit him fall doun, with ane swak, apon the gait

b. Lang swak, part of a work-chant or shanty used by sailors while hoisting a sail; perhaps imitative of the crack of the unfurling sail. 1549 Compl. 41/9.
The marynalis began to heis vp the sail, cryand, heisau, heisau, … ly a bak, ly a bak, lang suak, lang suak

c. ? fig. To hald swak, ? to make a decision, be decisive. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 228. (Harl.).
In oure consatis as we suld ay hald swak Oure cravist cabyllis all at ane cast will crak, Quhen lykis God his stormys for to stere 1540 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 217.
Sanderis Scot was ordinit to be avyssit quhill this day xv dais to hauld swak outher to tak or geif the payment for the hous, for the quhilk he is enterit in payment