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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SWACK, n., v.¹, int. Also swak(k), swauk, ¶suak. [swɑk]

I. n. 1. A sudden heavy blow, a thud, thump, a clatter, the sound made by a sharp blow or fall (s.Sc. 1801 J. Leyden Complaynt 375; Cld. 1880 Jam.; Bnff. 1893 Dunbar's Works (S.T.S.) III. 49; Cai. 1904 E.D.D.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Lth., Rxb. 1972). Also in Eng. dial.Ayr. 1790 A. Tait Poems 114:
The taties come out wi' a swack.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xxiv.:
The fell auld lord took the whig such a swauk wi' his broadsword that he made twa pieces of his head.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 5:
The steeple rock't at ilka swack.

2. A gust of wind, a blast (Slk. 1825 Jam., a swack of wind). Comb. back-swack, a gusting backwards of wind in a chimney, a blow-down (Dmf. 1952).

3. A sudden onrush or attack; a powerful movement or exertion (s.Sc. 1801 J. Leyden Comptaynt 375).s.Sc. 1886 C. Scott Sheep-Farming 202:
A small dog has less command over the sheep than a large one, which comes round with a heavy swack.

4. A big mouthful, a deep draught of liquor, etc., a pull, gulp, “swig” (Bnff. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Edb., Rxb. 1972).m.Lth. 1794 G. Robertson Har'st Rig (1801) 42:
A' the langboard now does grane Wi' swacks o' kale!

‡II. v. 1. To brandish, wield, bring (a weapon) down with force, clash. Obs. exc. liter. Used fig. in phr. hackan an swackan, see 1930 quot.Sc. a.1802 Battle of Otterburn in Child Ballads No. 161 C. xxii.:
They swakked their swords till sair they swat, And the blood ran them between.e.Lth. 1885 S. Mucklebackit Rural Rhymes 88:
Syne swacked they swords in deidly wroth.Ork. 1930:
Used of a person carrying on a business in a hap-hazard fashion. Of a man who made a great show to start with but became insolvent: "He gaed hackan an swackan about a while but cam doun afore i the end."

2. To throw forcibly, to dash down (s.Sc. 1801 J. Leyden Complaynt 375).Abd. c.1803 D. Anderson Sawney and John Bull 29:
Thor't the road till a midden peel, Did dook and dabble him like an eel, Sae nicely there, as he did swack him.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry 207:
The haill machinery o' the mass Were soupit down and swacket.

3. To beat, thrash, batter (Cld. 1880 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Used fig. in ppl.adj. swacking, (1) large, stout, hefty (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Cai. 1904 E.D.D., a swackan chiel); (2) active, agile (Dmf. 1825 Jam.), prob. due to semantic confusion with Swack, adj., 3.(1) Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 442:
Swacking nowt, fat large animals.

4. Of wind: to blow in a hard gust (Sc. 1880 Jam.).

5. To drink in large mouthfuls, to gulp, swill.Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems 15:
Swackin' owre the liquid brawn.

III. int. Crash! smack! with a thud.Sc. 1948 S. G. Smith Under the Eildon Tree 19:
Swack! at my front door.