A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1460-1605
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Blak, Blac, n. [ME. blak (1303), blacke, f. Blak, a. and adv.]
1. Black colour; a black part. c1460 Thewis Wysmen 155.
Thai luf nocht to mak of blak quhyt a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 258.
Richt as the … papere is redy to the prent Of blak and blewe 1538 Treasurer's Accounts VII. 20.
Ane … chenȝe … annamelit witht blak 1537 Lynd. Depl. Magd. 122.
The Senatouris … Cled in to silk of purpure, blak, and brown 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 82/24.
[To] mak fyne blak of that was neuer blew a1585 Maitland M. Qo. ii. 34.
To schaw thair hois of blak or broun 1591 Bruce ii Serm. R ij a (J).
Als deare … as the apple of his cheeke or the blak of his eie
2. Black cloth.See also Franche, Iper, Paris, Rissillis blak. 1473–4 Treasurer's Accounts I. 20.
Vij elne of tartar of variant hewis to lyne a gowne of blac 1494 Ib. 225.
Item, ij quarteris of blak to begare the sammyne [coats] 1552 Ib. X. 123.
Thre elnis, thre quarteris, unprest blak 1569 Edinburgh Testaments I. * 21 b.
Foure elnis Scottis of blak of the sele 1605 Bann. Mem. App. 366.
Ane pie of blak and tua blak cloikis
b. pl. Black cloths or hangings. 1537 Treasurer's Accounts VI. 330.
To ane pursyvant to pas till Dunde to charge the inhabitantis thairof to bring thare blakis to Edinburgh, for the Quenis tyrement 1552–3 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 337.
For the lane of blakks to hing the queir of the south side
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"Blak n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/blak_n>
