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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SLOCKEN, v., n. Also slockin, sloken, -in; slochen (Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 267), -an. [′slokən, ′slox-]

I. v. 1. tr. (1) To quench (thirst), satisfy (the desire to drink) (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 93, 1808 Jam.; Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein). Gen.Sc., freq. with drouth as obj. Also fig. to allay (the thirst for knowledge), satisfy curiosity.Ayr. 1786 Burns Lord Daer ii.:
When mighty Squireships of the quorum Their hydra drouth did sloken.Kcb. 1797 R. Buchanan Poems 295:
Let's tak a slock'nin waught o' beer.Rxb. 1820 Scots Mag. (June) 533:
Determining to “slocken their curiosity.”Sc. 1824 Scott Redgauntlet xiii.:
The blue bowl — that will sloken all their drouth.Fif. 1873 J. Wood Ceres Races 22:
And wi' some auld freends in Ceres toon His burning drooth wad slochen.Sc. 1874 Stevenson New Poems (1922) 436:
There's thirst an' what'll slocken it.Lnl. 1910 J. White Eppie Gray 13:
Swats their lowin' drooth tae sloken.sm.Sc. 1923 R. W. Mackenna Bracken and Thistledown 25:
He never as muckle as speirs if ye've a drouth tae slocken.Sc. 1964 Weekly Scotsman (6 Aug.) 18:
There wasn't enough water available to slocken the drouth of a moose.Ags. 1990s:
Slocken: v. slake. em.Sc. 1999 James Robertson The Day O Judgement 13:
Aw ye that lustit efter gowd
An gaithert it wi greed an bluid
Mey slocken tae the ful yer thirst -
In wi ye then, an slorp the flude!

Deriv. slo(c)kener, n., a thirst-quencher, drink, draught (ne., m. and s.Sc. 1970).Sc. 1830 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 405:
Coffee's nae slokener — and I am unco thrusty.Dmf. 1894 J. Cunningham Broomieburn 15:
He could do with a “slockener.”Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 9:
A penny gray rowe, wui a slokener owre an abuin.Gsw. 1950 H. W. Pryde McFlannel Family Affairs 121:
Soor dook wis a rare slockener.

(2) To quench or slake the thirst of (a person or animal), to satisfy (someone) as regards drink (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 94). Gen.Sc. Vbl.n. slockenin, enough drink to satisfy.Sc. 1718 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 78:
Till wasted was baith Cash and Tick, Sae ill they were to slocken.Edb. 1795 H. MacNeill Scotland's Scaith l. 105:
Slockned now, refresh'd and talking.Slk. 1827 Hogg Shep. Cal. (1874) vi.:
I hae muckle need o' a slockening.Sc. 1874 E. B. Ramsay Reminiscences 70:
The mist, sir . . . it weets the sod, it slockens the yowes.Ayr. 1889 H. Johnston Glenbuckie 69:
It'll tak' a guid sup o' whisky to sloken them a'.Gsw. 1898 D. Willox Poems 74:
It's no' the dinner, it's the efter-effects, wi' the slockening that tak's place.Kcb. 1899 Crockett Black Douglas xxxviii.:
Ae mither's milk slockened ye baith.Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 192:
He's waur tae slocken nor tae corn.Abd. 1920 C. Murray Country Places 5:
Ye're weel-slockened noo, an' afore ye get fou.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick vii.:
'Ere's nae muckle slyockenin i' this fuzhionless stuff.

(3) To provide with drink, “baptize”, inaugurate or celebrate with a drink, to expend (money) on drink.Dmf. 1810 R. Cromek Remains 91:
But I slokened the limmers [groats] ane by ane.Ayr. 1822 Galt Provost vii.:
Your tale and tidings shana lack slockening.Sc. 1921 R. Bain James I. 1:
Bring a mug o' ale to slocken his fiddle.

(4) To quench or extinguish (fire), to put out (a flame) (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Uls. 1953 Traynor Gl.; Cai., Wgt., Rxb. 1970). Also fig.Fif. 1704 in G. Sinclair Satan's Invisible World Discovered (1871) 259:
Having confessed her compact with the devil, and using of spells; and particularly her slockening the coal in water.Gall. 1711 Session Bk. Penninghame (1933) I. 302:
She wished that John M'Kies blood might slocken the fire of hell.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 104:
Foul Water slockens Fire.Abd. 1778 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 88:
Thir words a wee did slocken Lindy's fire.Sc. 1802 Scott Minstrelsy I. 129:
I would set that Castell in a low, And sloken it with English blood.Sc. 1812 Scots Mag. (April) 296:
Her hearth was sloken'd out with care.Ayr. 1823 Galt R. Gilhaize I. vi.:
The soldiers are slockening the ashes.m.Sc. a.1846 A. Rodger Poems (1901) 55:
What I've drunk might have slockened the sun.

(5) To allay, abate, subdue, do away with, put down; to liquidate (a debt) by payment.Peb. 1715 A. Pennecuik Works (1815) 328:
Yet drink we must to slocken sorrow.Sc. 1814 Scott Letters (Cent. Ed.) I. 463:
The debts of the business must be considerably within £3000 which I do not fear to sloken out.Sc. 1832 A. Henderson Proverbs 53:
A meek answer slockens melancholy.Sc. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped iii.:
I'll take the ale, though, for it slockens my cough.

(6) (i) To moisten, make damp or wet, drench, soak (Per. 1970). Vbl.n. slockenin(g), sloknin, a thorough drenching or soaking.Gall. 1722 Session Bk. Penninghame (1933) I. 487:
He wished his hearts blood might slocken the clod.Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Miller x.:
It taks as muckle moisture to slocken the tane as the tither.Lnk. 1895 W. C. Fraser Whaups iv.:
I was slockening my thrapple at the pump.m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood xi.:
Nae ragin' flood but just eneuch to slocken the ground.Sc. 1935 D. Rorie Lum Hat 18:
I'll slocken my mou' wi' the bonny wee pears.Sc. 1955 Gsw. Univ. Principal's Letter to Graduates (5 Sept.) 10:
Enough rain to slocken the greens.

(ii) in specif. uses: to slake (lime) (Uls. 1953 Traynor Gl.); to make a paste of (meal) (Ayr. 1930; Bnff., Abd., Ags., Slg., wm.Sc., Gall., Rxb. 1970); to dilute (spirits).Sc. 1821 Scott Pirate v.:
Raw oatmeal, slockened with water.Ags. 1858 People's Journal (29 May) 2:
Stop ye, till I get some water to slocken't, it's awfu' strong.Slg. c.1860 Trans. Slg. Nat. Hist. Soc. (1923) 11:
They're waur tae slocken whiles than lime.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 264:
They slocken't it whaur they wur gaun tae big; an it made awfa strong lime.

†2. intr. To become slaked or appeased, of thirst, to have one's thirst quenched or allayed; fig. to be sated, to have had enough of one's desires. Also with up.m.Lth. 1816 J. Aikman Poems 239:
I still maun rhime an' winna sloken.Per. c.1879 Harp Per. (Ford 1893) 347:
Syne ye may guess I had a yokin' Afore their drooth began to slocken.Kcd. 1933 L. G. Gibbon Cloud Howe 114:
Maybe you would like to slocken up after the dancing.

II. n. A thirst-quenching drink, a draught to slake thirst; a slaking or quenching of thirst.Peb. 1899 J. Grosart Chronicles 36:
Naething but a slochan o' lapper'd milk.Sc. 1928 J. Wilson Hamespun 52:
Ditch water at the en'rig sippin' For partial slocken.