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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Lake, Laik, v. Also: laike, layk(e, laick; leak. [Early ME. laken (c 1250), lacen (12th c.): cf. OFris. lakia ‘impugnāre’, MLG. and MDu. laken to be deficient or wanting, to diminish or decrease, to be defiled, to defile, to find fault with, blame, censure. This form (with the lengthened vowel) appar. survives only in Sc. Cf. Lak v. (and also Inlake v., Inlaik v.).Some or all of the (uncommon) lak- spellings in sense 3 (which appar. does not occur at all in the b spellings) prob. belong rather with Lak v., q.v.]

1. intr. To be short or lacking; to be wanting or absent. Variously const.(1) 1443 Rep. Hist. MSS. (Milne Home) 21.
Me David of Hwme … till half rasawit … quhar the nowit and schep lakit, the somys of silver for thame 1653 Soc. Ant. XXIII. 304.
The Great Hall … wherein lakes sex brods for the windoues(b) 1533 Bell. Livy I. 292/6.
Than was ane murmour amang the pepill that twa tabillis ȝit laikit a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1353 (E).
Syne luke quhat laiks for his relief Id. Son. iii. 13.
Sen conscience, love and cheritie all laiks(2) 1546–7 Waus Corr. 6.
Thair laikis bot the … oue for the buntha 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 34.
Captane Wemyss … blotted the captane … as the principall persuader of him to that rebellione whairof thair laikis no probabilitie 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 170.
Thair laikit in him nathing that mycht appertene to ane forcie campioun 1586 Crim. Trials I. ii. 148.
His tryell stayis becaus that thair laikis ȝit sum personis of ane perfyte nowmer 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 202.
Some of the inhabitants of Southerland spedelie assembled together, but ther laiked a heid to gyd them Ib. 269.
Ther laiked one to execute the interpryse(3) 1619 Garden Elphinstoun 2235.
So highe was his engyne, So quick his naturall … That nothing laicking seem'd c1620 Boyd Fl. Zion Exc. xviii/1.
Of all this work scarce laking is a pin 1639 Baillie I. 217.
Nothing what England, Spaine, France, Holland, could afford, was there laicking on their fields(4) 1627 Rep. Parishes 197.
A populous toune quhairin thair is fortie single roumes laiking ane halfe roume

b. Of a person: To be found lakeing or wanting, to come short. 1642 Baillie II. 37.
Lest we should be found lakeing in our dutie to the Universitie

2. tr. To be deficient in or in respect of; to be short of or without; to be in want of; to lack. With various subjects and objects.(1) 1444 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 194.
Swa that [he] … content the King … of als mykyle maile as he sall lake of the landis of Stradee c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlii. 77.
Lustely thay lakit bot a juge, Sic straikes and stychling wes on steir 1565 Cal. Sc. P. II. 183.
What I suffer … lakyng wharwith to by my neseserys a1578 Pitsc. I. 103/26.
They knew that his [the prince's] proudnes could not lake ane mischevous end 1590-1 Bruce Serm. 102.
Seeing there is nane of you that lakes a conscience 1611-57 Mure Crucifixe 458.
They surelie should such intertainment lake And, thrust to doores, the Scripturs' bonds partake(b) 1531 Bell. Boece II. 160.
The cieteyanis began tolaik vittallis c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iv. 703.
For to ride I laik abuilyement c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 268.
I compt thame daft … That laykis this gift, so lichtlie may be had Ib. iv. 7.
And thow layk substance of thy awin, and geir 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 37.
They suld neather laick men nor money 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xxxix. 76.
At Leith they landit … Not laiking na thing that belangit to weir 1580-92 James VI Lusus Reg. 51.
Laiking parents, brethren, bairnis or any neir of kinn c1590 Fowler II. 40/23.
Of the quhilk we laik not sufficient examples 1626 Garden Worthies 134.
The king … laiks a loiall leege 1662 Melrose Reg. Rec. II. 40.
[They] laiks and is onlie out of the possessioune of ane bute of land in the byre end(2) c1475 Wall. v. 431.
The thrid [son] scho held becaus he lakit age 1533 Bell. Livy I. 204/12.
He lakit … prudence to governe his cietezanis c1568 Lauder Minor P. v. 32.
Lat euerie one chuse thame thair lauchfull loue, That lakis that holy gyft of chaistetie a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxxix. 21.
Laking that grace my caus to pleid(b) 1531 Bell. Boece I. 136.
Scho answerit, scho … laikit na gud will, howbeit hir power failyeit 15.. Clar. i. 1326.
He laikis no thing langing to knichtheid a1585 Polwart Flyting 35.
At mens command that laikes ingyne a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xiv. 12 (L).
No grace dois laik this flour so fair 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 195.
Onlie so long as he laiked commoditie to reveill the same 1605 Elphinstone Mun. 33.
Your Majestie will … persave that our seruice laikis not the awne difficulteis [etc.](3) c1590 J. Stewart 78/189.
Till depaint … thar full plesance My langage laiks all Ciceronian dyt 1622-6 Bisset I. 89/21.
The bull or seill … nocht brokin, torne nor cancellate bot laikand all fault and suspitioun 1611-57 Mure Sonnets xii. 4.
The gallouse … Quhilk for thé gaips, and laiks but ones consent(4) 1653 Soc. Ant. XXIII. 304.
In the West Galery … the windowes laikes four and thretty brodes 1659 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 180.
Item, ane old torne Calapine, laiking begining and ending 1666 Rothesay B. Rec. 116.
Nyne pund … for the pryce of twa bolls laiking a pect malt 1675 Carnegie Lett. 358.
An litell hinger sett about with stonis and sum rubies, wherof it leaks on stone

b. intr., const. of. c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i. 34.
I alone of sic curage did laik

3. To censure, blame; to disparage. Also absol. = Lak v. 3.(1) c1420 Wynt. iv. 1068.
Sa ille commendyt thare was he, And lakyde all wytht his menyhe c1460 Wisd. Sol. 240.
A man suld tak gud tent quhen he enteris in Godis temple … for do he nocht, he wyll be mekle lakit 1535 Stewart 32514.
That we agane hes quyte thame all thair meid, We will ay be bot lakit with ilk leid(2) c1460 Consail Vys Man 135.
Oft God lufis at men here lakis [: makis](3) absol. 1622-6 Bisset I. 77/25.
Nor … have I over disdanefullie detracted, laked, or outbraided in ony wayis