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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.

Blak, Blac(k, a. and adv. [ME. blak, blac(k, OE. blæc. See also Blake a.] Black in colour.Found early in various place-names as Blachope (1218), Blackewel (a 1227), Blacsikis (1321), Blakhall (c 1330), Blacklyn (1361), Blacwatyr (1400).

1. In general use. (See also Bla a.) 1291 Acts I. 7.
Crux que uocatur la blak Rode 1375 Barb. i. 399.
Ector had blak har c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 899.
Full blak smek Ib. 1707.
Cluddis blak c1420 Wynt. i. 662.
Wytht that rek thai oys to mak … this pepyr blak Ib. vi. 654.
A blak loucht Ib. 1109.
On a blak hors 1456 Hay II. 132/11.
The tyme is myrk and blak Ib. 142/14.
The liver, quhen it is brynt with blak coleris 1483 Echt-Forbes Chart. 77.
Ane … ox blak with gray hornis 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 86.
In a blac coffre c1500 Rowll Cursing 152.
Als blak … as ony taid c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxviii. 1.
The dragon blak 1513 Doug. iii. iii. 86.
A watry clowd, blak and dyrk 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxxvi.
In Fiffe are won blak stanis 1549 Compl. 67/5.
Sourakkis, that vas gude for the blac gulset 1577 Edinb. Test. V. 177 b.
Blak muttoun skynnis 1583 Ib. XII. 92.
Half ane barrell of blak saip 1612 Bk. Rates 326.
Sadles covered with blak leather 1612 Acts IV. 516/2.
That buik callit the blak buik

b. Of fabrics or garments. 1375 Barb. x. 375.
With blak froggis all helit thai The armouris c 1450 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 199.
Ane [baltken] of blak sylk 1473 Treas. Acc. I. 13.
The kingis dowblat of blac vellous 1542 Ib. VIII. 74.
Thre elnis blak sating 1548 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 136.
Ane blak bonet lynit with taffytye 1554–5 Ib. 358.
Ten quarteris of blak serge 1566 Fleming Q. Mary 500.
Yallow silk, quhyt silk and blak silk 1605 Bann. Memor. 366.
Tua blak cloikis 1629–30 Misc. Spald. C. V. 147.
A quarter of blak carseyis

c. In various special applications (see quots.). 1467 Acts II. 89/1.
The striking of the blak pennyis to be cessyt 1531 Bell. Boece II. 505.
The day [17 June 1460] mirknit half an houre togidder, as it had bene nicht; and thairfore it was callit The Blak Houre 1550 Reg. Cupar A. II. 90.
Payand thairfor ȝeirlie … ij pectis blak aitis 1554 Ib. 117.
Tway peckis blak atis 1605 Dunblane Test. III. 90 b.
In the barne ȝairde ane lytill rouk of blak corne

2. Of persons, in respect of complexion, hair, dress or armour, etc. (1337) Liber Plusc. I. 284.
Comitissa Marchiæ, dicta vulgariter Blac Annes of Dunbar (1356) Ib. 300.
Archibaldus, dictus Blac Archebalde 1375 Barb. xv. 538.
The blak Dowglas 1448 Acts I. 350/2.
In blak Archibald of Douglas days a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 448.
The blak Deuill c1500-c1512 Dunb. liv. 2.
Of ane blak [lady] I will indytt 1513 Doug. i. vii. 126.
On blak Memnon 1549 Compl. 52/21.
The pepil that duellis vndir the equinoctial ar blac of ther cullour 1570 Leslie 19.
Sir James Stewart, called the black knycht, the Quenis husband 1600 Acts IV. 208/1.
He beleves that ane blak man that wes thair … wes Hew Moncreif 1628 M. Works Acc. XXI. 18.
Fra blak Alexander Jak 100 … cast of gray sklait 16.. Hist. Kennedy 15.
Thair was ane Blak Bessie Kennedy, quha wes mareyit … to the Laird of Colzeone

b. spec. Denoting orders of monks or friars. See also Blak Frere. c1420 Wynt. v. 4677.
A collegye place … Off blak chanownys regulare Ib. viii. 677.
The Blak Ordyr Jacobitis, and the Qwhyt Carmelytis c 1450 Howlat 178.
The se mawis war monkis, The blak and the quhyte c1515 Asl. MS. I. 248/17.
About the quhilk tyme sanct Austyne … began the ordour of blak channonis Ib. 261/12.
His fader foundit … thre placis of black chennonis 1622-6 Bisset II. 118/11.
The ordoure of blak monkis called Sanct Benedictis ordoure

3. fig. Dark, dismal, unfortunate, shameful. See also Blak Monanday, Blak Sattirday. Blak parliament: see Parliament. c1500 Rowll Curs. 12.
Black be thair hour c1515 Kennedy Asl. MS. II. 272/4.
That bathis oure blak syn 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1972 (B.).
I sall declair to ȝow the blak veritie a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxx. 40.
Blak falsheid is namit sutteltie

4. Used as an intensive with deid (dead). 1596 Dalr. I. 327/18.
All cause of diskyndnes, … was outher laid black deid or presentlie laid asleip