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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FANK, n.², v.²

I. n. 1. A sheepfold, a walled or fenced pen for sheep. Orig. Highland but now fairly Gen.Sc.Slg. 1812 P. Graham Agric. Stirling 293:
In the vicinity of the farmer's dwelling there is a pen, here called a fank, erected of stone and turf.Sc. 1849 Session Cases (1848–49) 535:
Macfarlane had been employed at his sheep fank all day.Uls. 1907 Enquiry into the state of Rathlin Islanders II.:
During the summer they have to be herded on the hillocks and knowes among the cultivated plots during the day, and kept in walled-in enclosures, called, locally, fanks, at night.Abd. 1926 L. Coutts Lyrics 54:
Lammies bleat in aw the fanks.w.Sc. 1949 Scots Mag. (Sept.) 463:
Sometimes the fank is substantially built with high stone dykes around its pens and runways, and many ingeniously contrived wicket-gates for “shedding” the sheep into various pens, according to their class and age.Sth. 1996 Gordon Stewart in Timothy Neat The Summer Walkers: Travelling People and Pearl-Fishers in the Highlands of Scotland 99:
She'd send Alec Ross out to bring the horses down to a big fank where we'd take our luck with four or five - some young mares, but mostly stallions, young colts ...

2. A sheep-shearing at a fank. Hence fank-day (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.).Sc. 1875 W. A. Smith Lewsiana 157:
News has come to the cottage this morning that the people are gathering for the Carloway fank.

3. A small cattle-fair, held at a fank.Arg. 1845 Stat. Acc.² VII. 162:
Formerly there were several small fairs, called Fanks in the parish [Ardnamurchan], which the principal cattle dealers never attended.

II. v. To drive into a sheep-fold (Per., Slg. 1825 Jam.). Gen.Sc.