A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Turk, Turke, n. (adj.). [ME and e.m.E. Turk (14th c.), Turke (Chaucer), Turque (Caxton), F. Turc, Turque, med. L. Turcus.]
1. A Turk, a member of the Turkish race.?1438 Alex. i 272.
Duke Betys, With Gaderis, Turkis and Arabys In haill battell thretty thousand And ma … Ar cummand on vs sudandly 1460 Hay Alex. 3640.
Off Turkis thare was ane gret cumpaney, Quhilk ay to Grekis hade fede and fellony c1475 Wall. x 495.
Thow sall fer werthar de than sall a Turk, for thi fals cruell wer c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 161/5.
Me thocht a Turk of Tartary Come throw the boundis of Barbary, And lay forloppin in Lumbardy 1541 Treas. Acc. VII 443.
To be ane cote, hois, and brekis to the litill Turk, twa elnis of raid and vj quarteris of ȝallow c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5208.
All Turkis, Sarazenis, and Jowis, That in the Sonne of God nocht trowis Ar Antichristis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5390.
Turke contrar Turke makis lytill weir, Bot Christiane Princis … Quilkis suld aggre … ilk ane dyngis doun ane vther 1678 Cranna Fraserburgh 194.
Collection for prisoners taken be Turks, belonging to Montrose and Borrowstounnes, £16 14 s.
b. The Turks, the Turkish people.a1400 Leg. S. xxvi 591.
Lang tyme eftyre with gret were, The Turkis thru iniquite Distroyt the towne of Myrre a1578 Pitsc. I 138/29.
The Turkis, most damnabill and cruell enemeis to Godis word, creipis in daylie mair and mair in Wrope 1581 Acts III 219/1.
That the … possessouris of sindrie benefices … hes dimolischit the godlie housis that wes appoyntit for ressaving … of the pure … Ane deid assuritlie that in na pairt of Christindome ȝe not amangis the verie Turkis wald be sufferit 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 487.
The damnation of the Turks and barbarians, and vile Americans, shall be nothing to thine 1617 Ritchie Ch. S. Baldred 159.
Jhone Mure … wha was takin be the Turkis on the sea 1679 Ellon Par. 115.
For relief of the Pittenweim prisoners taken by the Turkes 4 libs. 1691 Glasgow Hammermen App. 276.
To William Johnstoun who was taken by the Turks 12 s.
c. The Turk, the Turkish people collectively, or, comprehensively, Turkish power; also, ? the Great Turk (cf. 2 below).1596 Dalr. II 96/16.
Christian princes … iuneng thair forces … inuade the Turk and infidelis a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlviii 54.
The Turk does bruik this citie ȝit And much of Grece he hes into his hands a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlviii 60.
Quha in these pairtis pleisis for to hant, The Turkis pasport neids not for to want; Sa I myself … Requyrit ane, vhilk he me glaidly gaiv 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 49.
Two woes that shall come upon the earth, the one of the Antichrist, the other of the Turk 1615 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 284.
I offered … to attempte to take from the Turke (who is enemy to God and man) his treasure, and to lay it doune … att your Maiesties feete 1679 Boharm Kirk S. 24 Aug.
[They] had been slaves the space of sex yeirs to the Turke as his testimony did bear 1680 Boharm Kirk S. 4 Jan.
30 s. given as contribution for the Montross captives under the Turke
2. The Great Turk, the Ottoman Sultan.1515 Douglas Corr. 70.
The pepyll of this realme ar sa oppressyt for lak of justyce, by thevys, rubry and other extortiones, that thai wald be glayd to leyf ondyr the gret Turk to haf justyce 1681 Colvil Whig's Suppl. (1751) 28.
The imperious Roxalan Made the great Turk John Thomson's man
3. transf. A person believed to have qualities attributable to the Turks, a barbaric or aggressively warlike person, a traitor or pagan.a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 522.
Conspiratour, cursit cocatrice, hell caa, Turk, trumpour, traitour, tyran intemperate a1538 Abell 78b.
The Turkis of Ingland hereis the pure bodeis & birnis the corn a1605 Montg. Sonn. lxx 8.
Fals tratur, Turk, betrayer vnder trust, Quhy maks thou makrels of the modest Muses?
4. Muslim.1632 Lithgow Trav. iv 141.
[He] turnd Turke, and was circumcised
5. attrib. Turkish, of Turkish origin or style. Freq. describing cloth, also absol. without specifying the type of cloth. b. Turk(e) werk, = Turkie werk (Turky n. 2).(1) 1508 Treas. Acc. IV 25.
For ane crukit baslar of the Turk fasoun with hilt, pomelt, and chaip all gilt(2) 1534 Treas. Acc. VI 193.
iiij elnis iij quarteris of taphety turke, price of the elne xiiij s. 1659 Craven Ch. in Orkney II 197.
A turk coat 1660 Bk. Dunvegan 187.
4 ell 1 quarter a nail light hair turk 1666 Edinb. Test. LXXII 150a.
Ane gray turk waiscoat 1661–70 Old Ross-shire I 143.
Ane sad turk cloakabsol. 1665 Nicolson Diurnals 28 Feb.
For ane ell Turk to be ane ryding hood 1667 Edinb. Test. LXXIII 60b.
xvij elne and ane half of Turk 1671 Edinb. Test. LXXIV 143a.
Thrie els of turk at ii lib. the ellb. 1537 Treas. Acc. VI 314.
Coft to his grace … in Lyonis, tua greit lyaris of Turke werk 1668 Edinb. Test. LXXIII 273a.
vj turk work cuschings
