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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Bak, Back, adv. Also: bake. [e.m.E. bak, back(e, ME. bakke, bac (rare); for earlier Abak adv.]

1. Backwards or back, in place, return, etc.(a) 1560 Rolland Seven S. 35/20 (his heid he turnit bak). 1569 Sat. P. x. 357 (he wald not lat the Papists cause go bak). 1585 James VI Ess. 46 (to hald bak their crueltie). 1608 Highland P. III. 112 (we think to remit hir bak). c1650 Spalding I. 5 (the Erll send thame all bak agane the get thay cam).(b) a1578 Pitsc. I. 314/31 (caussit the laird to ga bake and flie). 1594 Warrender P. MS. 112 (to returne the other bake with a good answer). 1629 M. Works Acc. XX. 31 (he delyverit the powder bake agane). 1639 Wemyss Chart. 226 (for their leadning bake to the cuntrye again).

b. Bak owir, backwards.1611 Reg. Panmure I. p. xcv (ane man on hors bak, lyand bak owir).

2. Bak and fore, (in) back and front, used esp. to designate the whole of a property.(1) 1583 Glasgow Chart. II. 612 (his tenement, bak and foir, heycht and laicht). 1614 Ayr Friars Pr. Chart. 108 (all the tenement of land bak and foir). 1641 Acts V. 462/1 (that tenement of land bake and foire, wnder and above). 1667 Melrose R. Rec. II. 183 (halfe ane but back and foer).(2) 1688 Melville Corr. 102.
They … attack the gaird back and for