A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1539-1655
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Pak, n.2 Also: pack, pact. [Late ON. pakki (1337), ‘esp. used of bundles of wadmal exported from Icel. and the Faroes’ (Cleasby-Vigfusson), Norw., Da. pakke, Swed. pakka, orig. identical with Pakn.1] In Shetland: A measure of wadmal, equal in length to 60 ‘cuttells’ (Cuttell n.) or ells. 1539 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 144.
Fyve paks of waldmaill and twa barrellis of butter yerele … to be deliverit to us … upon the ayr of Kyrkwall 1544 Corr. M. Lorraine 85.
My landis of Scheitland and the proffeit yeirlie therof extending xxvj b. butter fyfty twa pak of wadmell, ylk pak the price ane ros noble 1576 Orkney Oppress. 19.
Swa that of everie pact of wadmell, quhilk contenis thre scoir of cuttellis, he tuik fra thame mair nor the just ten cuttellis 1588 Exchequer Rolls XXI. 326.
For the dewetie of the lordschip of Zetland … first for the dewetie callit wedmell, 167 packis 1617 Orkney & Zetl. Sheriff Ct. in Misc. Maitl. C. II. 193. 1628 Goudie Shetl. Antiq. 178.
Sex cuttellis is a shilling wodmell and ten shilling wodmell is a pak 1655 Hibbert P. No. 16.
He hes gottin from me fyue pack fiftie four cuttell quhilk wantis vpon sax pack sax cuttell wadmell
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"Pak n.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/pak_n_2>
