Dictionaries of the Scots Language
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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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‡MANK, v., adj., n. Also manck; mankie; munk. [mɑŋk]

I. v. 1. To spoil, to mutilate, to deface, cut too short (Cld. 1825 Jam.; Cai. 1903 E.D.D., munk). Ppl.adj. mankit, defective, corrupt, cut awry, mangled (Abd., Edb. 1962); worn out, exhausted (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1962; (Edb., Ayr. 2000s). Sc. 1710 Answer to Mr J. Hog 50:
Its mancking and confounding of Holy Scripture especially in its Collects.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
To mank claith, to mis-shape it, to cut it so as to make it too little for the purpose in view.Edb. 1814 J. Monro Carmen Caled. Musae 30:
Suppose we cou'd the length of Luna gaung, Fell goblins by the way wad mank the spang.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 26:
Tammy kent his mankit sang, Tho' timmer, hadna been ower lang. Edb. 1989:
Johnnie's manked his new bike. That bike's manked.

†2. To fail, to fall short (Abd., Kcd. 1825 Jam., mank(ie)); of the moon: to pale, to fade. Liter.Abd. 1737 Caled. Mag. (1788) 500:
To mell wi' twa he wadna mank, At staffy-nevel Job.Sc. 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ ii. v. 60:
Ye'll mank alluterlie an ye pit a vailye upon ocht temporal.Sc. 1933 W. Soutar Seeds in the Wind 32:
Noo that the cock begins tae craw An' mankit is the müne.

†II. adj. 1. Deficient, defective, incomplete.Sc. 1700 R. Wodrow Early Letters (S.H.S.) 84:
I have nou procured that old copy of Knoxes history. . . . Its mank at the beginning and at the end having noe further then the beginning of the 4. Book.Sc. 1723 in R. McWard Contendings xii.:
Mr. Wodrow in his large, but mank and partial History, hath given the world to believe, that these who disowned those tyrants authority . . . were not Presbyterians.

2. Of persons: at a loss, nonplussed.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
He looked very mank.

†III. n. 1. A deficiency, a want, a lack (Sc. 1818 Sawers).Sc. 1718 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 81:
In their Maws there was nae Mank.Sc. 1812 The Scotchman 29:
Outher thare's a mank in't, an it disna let you ken what's in the beuk as it sould do; or als there's cheitrie in't.

2. A moment's uncertainty, a hesitation; a pother, fuss, a to-do.Lnk. 1808 W. Watson Poems 17:
But at the coupers' greedy crack They mak' an unco mank.Edb. 1822 R. Wilson Poems 44:
Lays on wi' vengeance but a mank, Till mouth an' nose rin gore.Lnk. 1853 W. Watson Poems 15:
They're special creatures [horses] every ane, An' mak' nae mank about the din.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
Dinna make a mank aboot it.

3. Dim. A child's peg-top which has fallen short of its mark and remains in the ring (Sc. 1825 Jam.).