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: 1450-1542, 1596-1662
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Ka, n. Also: kay, kae, kaae, ke, kea; ca, caa. [North. ME. ka (1340, 1483), midl. co (c 1325), coo, koo, perh. ON. *ká, k (Norw. dial. kaae, Da. kaa): cf. MDu. ca, ka, MLG. ka, etc.] A jackdaw. Also attrib. with nest.(a) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxiii. 89.
Thik was the clud of kayis and crawis 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 31.
Kays [R. kayis] keklis on the ruyf abone 1533 Boece ix. x. 310.
Kayis nycht crawis and rukis … recounterit corbeis in batell a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae (Wr.) 19.
The keckling kayes(b) 1533 Boece xvi. i. 606 b.
The gret kirk of Sanctandros … was brynt … be ane ka … bering ane spark of fire to hir nest 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4241 (B).
A kae [Ch. an craw or ane kae] sall be castin vp as it war his sawll 1596–7 Misc. Spald. C. I. 100.
Thair enterit agane … ane ewill spreitt, In liknes of ane kae; and hed … wirreit thi youngest sister [etc.] 1633 Master of Works Accounts XXVI. 1.
To ane wricht for working … the slittes … to hald out the kaaes 1635 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 31.
To vphold the glas windows … and to put out the kaes a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 328.
Cankered kae that wirried the cat a1598 Ib. No. 706.
He hes eaten raw kaes, he is ay claveringattrib. 1542 Irvine Mun. I. 181.
De uno tenemento … nuncupato vulgariter the Kanest(c) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4397 (Ch.).
Heir sal the bairns cry keck lyke ane ke 1662 Criminal Trials III. 605.
I [Isobel Gowdie] went in, in the likenes of a kea and the said Elspet Chisolm wes in the shape of a catt(d)c1450-2 Howlat 191.
Cryand crawis and cais [B. kais], that cravis the corne 1533 Boece xv. xv. 604.
Crawis, cais, corbyis … in winter laid eggis & producit birdis a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 521.
Conspiratour, cursit cokatrice, hell caa [M. ka]
