Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: <1700, 1700, 1802-1848, 1899
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INKS, n.pl. Low-lying land on the banks of a river estuary, freq. flooded by spring tides (Gall. 1825 Jam., 1930 H. Maxwell Place Names Gall. 160; Kcb. 1958). Also used attrib. in sing.Gall. 1692 A. Symson Descr. Gall. (1823) 138:
Down the river, about a mile from the Church . . . a large plott of fine fir-planting, over-looking a rich ink ground.Gall. 1802 Farmer's Mag. (Aug.) 331:
Eighty acres . . . consisted of a rich sea marsh, or inks, as we call them here, almost a true level, . . . about 4 or 5 acres, . . . 16 inches lower, being a younger marsh, and nothing but what we call ink grass growing upon it.Gall. 1848 Sc. Journal II. 234:
To stab the dark grilse in the doachs of the Dee, Or spurlings to net in the inks of the Cree.Wgt. 1899 Gall. Advertiser (27 July):
Extent 240 acres or thereby of carse land of excellent quality, together with a very large extent of “inks” or shore pasture.
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"Inks n. pl.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 9 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/inks>
