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

Bank, n.¹ Also: banc, [ME. bank (bonk), banke (c 1200). ON. *banke, later bakke.]

1. A bank (of a river, etc.).In verse sometimes coupled with bra. Early examples in place-names are Byrkebanke in the Reg. Neubotle 104, Bankes and Brerybankes (1367) in Reg. Great S. 92/1.a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 208 (scho to the low [= loch] bank went in hy). c1420 Wynt. i. 1028 (a watter gret, wytht bankys hey). a1500 Henr. Fab. 184 (throw bankis, balk, and breir); 1331 (vp-on bank and bra). c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 35 (the bank was grene). 1513 Doug. i. iv. 41 (Eneas the bank on hie has clummyn); vii. Prol. 20 (burnys hurlys all thair bankis dovne). 1528 Lynd. Dreme 76 (vnblomit was baith bank and braye). 1549 Compl. 37/19 (ane grene banc). 1552 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 657 (the grite heddery bank). c1590 J. Stewart 53/25 (throch bus and bra and bankis bair). — 1595 Bamff Chart. 144.
Ascendand up ane bray callit the Koutcheris bank to ane wall in the heid of the said bank 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. MS. 8.
At the bankis quhair the scheip is in vse to be keipit

b. Attrib. with croft, fauld, riggin.Also in place-names as Bankhede (1519), Bankend (1546). 1540 Acts II. 379/1.
Fra thyne … to the heid of the bank riggin callit the ragingait Ib.
The landis of Locarstoun with the bank croft … tharof 1565 Bamff Chart. 100.
Fra thence southwest unto the north part of ane new bankfauld

2. A sand-bank.1513 Doug. i. iii. 31 (amang the schald bankis of sand); viii. 74 (Orion amang blynd bankis cachit us).