Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Flok, Floke, n.¹ Also: floik, floc, flock, pl. flox. [ME. flokk(e, flock(e, OE. flocc-, floc.]

1. A flock (of poultry, sheep, etc.). a1500 Henr. Fab. 2320.
The fattest hennis of all the flok [Ch. floik] Id. Robin & M. 2.
Robene sat … Kepand a flok of fe c1500 Fyve Bestis 160.
A cok The gudliest & farest of the floke 1513 Doug. iii. iv. 21.
We se Flokkis and herdis of oxin and of fe 1535 Stewart 53907.
Distroyit war all bowis … flokis and fie 1549 Compl. 42/25.
Conuoyand mony fat floc to be fed on the feilds 1590 Burel Pilgr. i. xvi.
I na wais culd … weill esteme The flox into that fald

b. A number or crowd of persons. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lv. 3.
Thair wyffis cam furth in flockis

2. fig. A body of persons, in relation to their pastor or spiritual head.(a) 1531 Bell. Boece I, 128.
The haly apostolis … quhilkis gave thair hale attendans, as gud hirdis, to instruk thair flok in the sicker faith 1562-3 Winȝet I. 6/6.
War ȝe commandit in vaine … to walke attentlie … vpon ȝour flok? 1586 Reg. Privy C. IV. 75.
But prejudice of his ordinar preiching to a particular flok 1602 Colville Parænese. 42.
The authors of this chimer … suld be inuisible to thair inuisible flok(b) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2546.
Christis floke … Conuertit fragyll faltouris … be Goddis worde Ib. 4567.
The Popis floke … Ar knawin best be thare clyppit crounis 1570 Reg. Episc. Brechin II. 307.
[To] execut his office … to the comfort of the floke gewin in his cwir 1596 Acts IV. 111/1.
That euerie minister … sall haue onlie respect to the edifeing of his awne floik 1627 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. II. 4.
The ministeris [to] steir up thair flokes to schaw … thair chirretie