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.
Sak, n.2 Also: sak(k)e, sack(e, sac, saikk-. [e.m.E. sack (1567), sac (c1645), F. sac (in mettre à sac ‘put to sack’) (14th c. in Larousse), It. sacco id. (14th c. in Larousse).] a. Sack, the act of sacking or plundering by soldiery. b. Ruin, destruction, more generally. c. An instance of this, an act of destruction.Chiefly to put, bring, (a town, etc.) to sak, also to go to sak = to be sacked or to be ruined.a. (1) 1531 Bell. Boece I 254.
Fergus … departit out of Rome with Alarik, thre dayis eftir it wes put to sakke Ib. II 453.
Erle George … tuk the said town [sc. Roxburgh], and put it to sak 1533 Boece 55b. 1549 Compl. 33/14.
Scipio sal put Cartage to sac ande to the sourde 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 53.
The blak freris … wes put to sack be the erllis of Ergyle and Glencarne(2) 1533 Boece 370b.
[That] he suld nocht fra the assege remove quhill be fire and swerde the ciete … war brocht to sak c1590 Fowler I 101/101.
That man who … Disparpled all thair nauall ost, and brought thame all to sakb. 1567 G. Ball. 204.
His abbotis gat ane vncouth turne, Quhen schauelingis went to sack [D. sacke] 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 175.
To wrak and put to sak all theis nobillmen 1581 Sempill Sat. P. xliii 148.
Bothwell … Syne socht ȝourselfe to bring this realme to sake [: a-bake, crak, spak]c. 1588 Prot. Bk. J. Inglis fol. 103b.
On the day of the assentione of Our Lord … thair salbe ane deluge … sall distroye all howsis in law places, amangis the saikkis of the kyrk of Turkis & the heretekis sall conspyre aganis the pepill of God
