A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Ruke, Ruik, n.1 Also: rwik; reuk, rewk; rouk; rok(e, rocke, roik; ruck. [ME and e.m.E. rok (a1250), roke (c1290), rooke (1577), OE hróc, hrooc, ON hrókr.]
1. The rook, a bird of the crow family.In folklore, appar. known chiefly for its raucous cry, its greed, and its reputation as a thief.(a) 1424 Acts II 6/1.
Forthy that … rukis bigande in kirk ȝardis orchardis or treis dois gret skaithe apone cornis [etc.] c1450-2 Howlat 794 (A).
Sa come the ruke with a rerd and a rane roch 1457 Acts II 51/2.
Anentis rukis crawys and vther foulys of reif a1500 Henr. Practysis 40.
Recipe thre ruggis of the reid ruke [etc.] 1512–13 Rentale Dunkeld. (SHS) 183.
[A boy keeping] lie rukis [from the stacks [?] (arconibus) at Clony] 1535 Stewart 36458.
His skowdrit skyn wes blak as ony ruke 1570 Sat. P. xv 53.
Ȝe gleds and howlets, rauins and rukis [: cluikis] a1605 Montg. Flyt. 349 (T).
The rottin rim of thy womb with ruikis [H. rockes] salbe revin a1603 Anc. Prophecies 4.
When the rauen and the ruke hes rounded together [etc.](b) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 445.
My cleir voice and courtlie carrolling … Is rawk as ruik, full hiddeous, hoir and hace 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 651.
‘Pluk at the craw,’ thay cryit, ‘deplome the ruik!’ c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 164/117.
Ruikis [MS rwikis] 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2078 (B).
I wald his buikis War … revin amang the ruikis(c) a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. 184/(117).
Thay tarmagantis … begouth to clatter And roup lyk rawin and rouk(d) 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 696.
The reukis sall rair that men sall on thame rew a1585 Polwart Flyt. 559 (T). 1662 Crim. Trials III 611.
We went in the shape of rewkis to Mr. Robert Donaldsones hows(e) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1409.
The roikis with rerd began to ryue(f) 1621 Black Bk. Taymouth 356 (see Piet n. (1)).
Ruck(g) a1624 Edinb. Univ. MS ii 319.
The rokis did rout and rore
b. transf. and fig.? Suggested as an appropriate symbol (cf. 2 below) for the arms of an (in the eyes of the poet) thieving, murderous family, collocated with Guld n. the corn marigold, a pernicious weed, in place of the actual Hamilton arms in which cinquefoils are quartered with a lymphad sable.1570 Sat. P. xiii 103.
As schawis weill be ȝour genalogie, For thift and murther, reif and oppressiounis, With guldis and rukis blasit equallie, Is the auld armes of the Hammiltounis
2. Applied to persons as a term of general abuse; also, specif., a thief, cheat or swindler.c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 57 (B).
Revin, raggit ruke, and [M. all] full of rebaldrie 1535 Stewart 36697.
Thir revand rukis … Puttand this kinrik to confusioun a1568 Scott i 125.
Ruging and raifand vp kirk rentis lyke ruikis a1605 Montg. Flyt. 108 (T).
Ay lyand lyk ane ruik, if na man wald scar thé a1585 Polwart Flyt. 790 (T).
Ruik 1695 Sharpe Witchcraft 249.
It … began to speak, and call those who were sitting in the house witches and rukes
