A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1460, 1513, 1584, 1665-1689
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Hark, v. [Var. of Herk v. Cf. ME. harkien (c 1200).]
1. tr. and intr. To hark, hearken, listen.(1) c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 2258.
Alexander with sobirnes thame harkis 1513 Doug. iii. ii. 69.
Nobillis, quod he, harkis [R. herkis] quhat I sal say 1513 Ib. xii. x. 30. 1513 Ib. v. Prol. 46.
Now harkis sportis, myrthis, and myrry plays(2) 1513 Doug. vii. vi. 136.
All Latyn wyfis harkis now to me 1513 Ib. ix. Prol. 6.
Quha tharto harkis fallys in fragilyte 1513 Ib. xi. x. 57.
Hark, I sall schaw ȝow mine avys, quod he
2. intr. To speak in one's ear, to whisper, to mutter.Still in mod. Sc. and north Eng. dialects. 1584 Satirical Poems xlv. 168.
Auld Captane Kirkburne to him harkit 1665–7 Lauder Jrnl. 127.
Mr. Robert Blair … speared at hir, ‘wheirof was ye made, Magie?’; the folk neir hand rounded and harked into hir, ‘of the rib of man’ a1689 W. Cleland Poems 99 (J).
Then some began to hark and rowu
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