Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1777-1834, 1887
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†FRECK, adj. Also frack, and deriv. forms freckle, frackle.
1. Bold, eager, ready; forward, impetuous. Also in n.Eng. dial.Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems 159:
The freckest whiles hae own't her dought.Slk. 1807 Hogg Mountain Bard 44:
My freckle brethren ne'er will staye Till they're avengit.Sc. 1820 Scott Abbot xxxiv.:
One of the frackest youths in Scotland.Dmf. 1822 A. Cunningham Trad. Tales II. 201:
The frackest lads of Annanbank, The Hallidays for me.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 119:
Hae ye your man by acht o'clock, A' frack and furnish't for the shock.n.Sc. 1834 H. Miller Scenes and Leg. (1874) 288:
Look ye, my frack young man, your weird may have hemp in it, an' sae ye may tempt salt water when ye like.
2. Stout, able-bodied, vigorous, active (Sc. 1825 Jam.).Sc. 1777 Weekly Mag. (3 July) 20:
Heigh, man! you're unco dung, sair fell'd wi' eild, An' weel I mind you whan a frackle chield.n.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
A freck auld man, a freck carl, "commonly applied to one who although advanced in life retains a considerable degree of vigour and activity."Rnf. 1813 E. Picken Poems I. 68:
Nae surfeit rises frae our meal, We're ay fu' freck an' stark an' hale.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 210:
He's a freck aul' body at his age.
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"Freck adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/freck>
