Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Rak(e, Raik(e, n.² Also: raick; rack(e; rauk. [ME and e.m.E. rake (c1386), raak, OE raca masc., racu fem., MLG and MDu. rake, ON reka spade, shovel.] A rake, the, mainly agricultural, implement.Also with preceding noun, in attrib. use, to indicate the specific function of the rake. See Col(e)-rake n. for further instances.Also proverb. and attrib.(1) 1506 Treas. Acc. III 332.
For ane raik for the powdir 1513 Doug. vii xii 49.
Thay quhilkis with rakis ourturnys euery bra Fertyll of wynys 1534 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 144.
Rak 1595 Duncan App. Etym.
Rastrum, a raike or harrowe 1609 Hilderstoun Silver Mines I 176.
Mending of ane kist raik 1676 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 219.
Raick 1709 Household Bk. Gr. Baillie 251.
3 rackes, a howe [etc.](2) 1541 Treas. Acc. VIII 125.
Sparris of fyr to be cole rakis 1636 Edinb. Test. LVII 327b.
Item ane ȝaird raik price xij d. 1676 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 219.
[He] tooke the hay raik that was wpon the kar on the naig bakproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 641.
Mony brings the raike but few the shovell Ib. No. 787.
There is little to the rake to get after the bissomeattrib. 1658 Boyd Fam. P. No. 236 (27 Feb.).
An gardin raikheid with yron teith — 1560 Rentale Dunkeld. (S.H.S.) 352.
Raik teithe 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 383.
For ane dussone of raik teith with ane hose to the heid

b. In the phr. rank as a raike. c1450-2 Howlat 216 (A).
The ravyne … Was dene rurale … rank as a raike

c. transf. A skinny person. a1605 Montg. Flyt. 782 (T).
Sillie snark, lene raik

d. ‘An implement, similar to the above, used for various purposes, sometimes having a flat blade in place of the bar with teeth’ (OED). 1541 Aberd. B. Rec. I 176.
Ane scherp rak for ledder, ane blunt rauk [pr. rank]