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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

SPELK, n., v. Also speolk, spiolk, spjolk, spyolk (Sh.); spilk (Cai. 1904 E.D.D.); spulk-, spilg-. Also erron. sperk (Rxb. 1880 in Watson W.-B.). Dim. spelkie. [spɛlk; Sh. spjɔlk]

I. n. 1. (1) A sharp splinter of wood, glass, iron, etc.; a small strip of wood (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 433; Sc. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Sh., Cai., Inv., em., sm. and s.Sc. 1971). Also in n.Eng. dial.Dmf. 1830 W. Bennet Traits Sc. Life III. 224:
Break a' the glass, an' maybe blaw some spelks o't aboot my ain face.Kcb. 1899 Crockett Kit Kennedy xxxi.:
John Rogerson had got a “spelk of wood into his hand.”Dmf. 1899 Country Schoolmaster (Wallace) 26:
A schoolboy carefully gathered up the larger ‘spelks' of the tram of the broken vehicle.

(2) transf. of a small thin person. Also in n.Eng. dial.Ayr. 1890 J. Service Notandums 11:
She was a bit spelk o' a lassock.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
A bit spelk o' a chap.

Deriv. spilgie, (1) adj., long and slender (Ags. 1808 Jam.); (2) n., a tall, lean person; in pl., long thin legs (Id.).(1) Abd. 1857 G. MacDonald Songs (1893) 125:
A lang-backit, spilgie, fuistit auld carl.

2. A surgical splint (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 210, spiolk; Dmf. 1899 Country Schoolmaster (Wallace) 353; Cai. 1904 E.D.D.; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., spjolk; Ork. 1929 Marw.; I.Sc., Bwk., Rxb. 1971). Also in n.Eng. dial.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 154:
Yea, hath, I winder what he oesed for spjolks?Sh. 1956 New Shetlander No. 44. 13:
Whin hit [plaster] sturkens hit keeps da bons in place, an da spjolks ir no needit.

3. A wooden skewer put across a split fish, esp. a young dogfish hung up to dry (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl.; Sh., Cai. 1971). Cf. Speet, I. 2. (2).

†4. A thatching rod (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Also in n.Eng. dial.

II. v. 1. intr. To break into splinters; to fly about in the manner of splinters, sparks, etc. Also rarely tr. to split or splinter (Abd. 1913). Deriv. spelkin, a splinter of wood, a spill (Bnff. 1971). Ppl.adj. spelked, of wood: rough, full of splinters (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 433).Kcb. 1896 Crockett Grey Man xiv.:
The bullets spelking about me like hailstones.Kcb. 1902 Crockett Dark o' the Moon 341:
Green birk is the deil an' a' for spelkin'!

2. To bind or unite a broken limb with splints, to repair anything broken by means of splints or the like (s.Sc. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 210; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Ork. 1929 Marw., spelkie; I.Sc., Cai., Bwk. 1971). Ppl.adj. spelked, in splints (Cai. 1971).Sh. 1879 Shetland Times (2 Aug.):
Whin I wis carried hame dey wir nane ta set it nor spyolk hit.Ork. 1920:
He spelkied his pipe-shank as best he could.Sh. 1933 J. Nicolson Hentilagets 20:
Ae pör cheeld 'at hed a spjolkit leg.Sh. 1962 New Shetlander No. 63. 6:
Linnen on her speolkit staff.

3. To skewer a split fish to keep it open for quicker drying (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)). Hence spyolkeen, spjolken, -in, (1) a fish, freq. a young dogfish, split, stretched out by means of a skewer and hung up to dry (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1971); (2) a small fish gutted, skewered and grilled with the liver inside (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1971). Cf. Krampies, 2.

†4. To spit or transfix with a sharp sliver of wood.Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. 184:
Strike-me-dead once “spulked” an eel three feet nine inches long.