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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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CARK, KERK, n. and v. Also keark (Dmf. 1894 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. 150, Dmf. 1959). Given in N.E.D. as obs. or arch. in Eng.; the adj. carking (in phr. carking care) is still in use.

1. n. Care, anxiety; gen. in phr. cark an' care. Known to Bnff.² 1938.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 25:
Or was your father or your brother there, That ye hae dreet sae meikle cark an' care?Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 47:
And syne
I ran, wad tine
that greetin
o things forleeten
i the muckle dairk,
but aye the cark
souched ahent:
Tak tent! Tent!w.Dmf. 1912 A. Anderson Surfaceman's Later Poems (1913) 3:
But sune the big warl's cark an care Will quaten doon their glee.Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 115:
Frae town to town rude artless pathways made, To trav'lling wights gae muckle cark and moil, Whan surly winter had bedrench'd the soil.

2. v.

(1) To complain peevishly (Cai.⁷, Bnff.² 1938), to nag, grumble.Cai. 1907 D. B. Nicolson in County of Cai. 68:
He's aye carkan.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 104:
We baith glowre on dairk, get roosed up, an' syne
cark, cark, cark, as gin we'd some cangle wi nicht
and cried oot: Mair licht! Mair licht!Kcb.⁴ 1900:
Aye cark-carkin' in the Almighty's lug wi' some selfish en' in view.Dmf. 1917 J. L. Waugh Cute McCheyne (1929) 61:
Dod, the wife's lang been kerkin' at me for a new dolman.

(2) To cause trouble or anxiety. Found only in ppl.adj. carkin'.Ags. 1905 D. L. Duncan Hameart Rhymes 62:
Here's me a puir auld donnert chiel' . . . Sits a' day lang wi' heart like jeel, An' carkin' hoast.