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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.

Blok, n.¹ Also: block, bloke, bloik. [ME. blok (c 1305), blocke, blokke, OF. bloc.]

1. a. A quantity or amount. In blok, as a whole amount. 1456 Hay I. 146/29.
Na in his condicioun of feyng was divisioun made of his wageing, bot in blok and somme, for all the ȝere sik a somme 1546 Stirling B. Rec. I. 44.
Ye avansit you thairof sayand ye had put ane blok in Striveling of the pest that suld nevir gang furth of it

b. A quantity of goods sold at one time. 1551 (c 1650) Dundee B. Laws 14.
In buying and selling ony maner of goods, merchandise, blockis of wictuall, nor malt making 1553–4 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 708.
Payit to ane Inglisman in arlis of ane bloke of malvesy and figgs bocht be the town 1594 Edinb. Test. XXVII. 131.
For ane blok of claytht sauld … the sowme of vij^c iiij li. 1595 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 141.
His defalt in bying in greitt ane blok of ingyeouns arryvet at Leyth … without offer to the toun 1618 Edinb. Test. L. 52.
The defunctis part of ane blok of herreine 1612 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 332.
Quhen as the fleschouris byis ane blok of ky in meanis amangst tham selfis Ib.
Quhen ony blok of ky beis bocht in meanis amangst tham

2. A block of wood. a1500 Doug. K. Hart 275.
Grene luif lay bund with ane felloun blok 1513 Doug. vii. viii. 108.
Nocht … with hard blokkis … Nor blunt steyngis of the byrsillit tre c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2302.
Sanct Duthow, boird out of ane bloke 1567 Inverness B. Rec. I. 155.
The foirsaidis personis hes tane away out of the wod … certan blokkis and cuppill treis c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 97.
Maist lyke ane branche doun cuttit of ane stok, That is becum ane drye and widderit blok 1584 Waus Corr. II. 313.
The best halk that is can nocht be reddy to tak af hir blok afoir the last of this moneth 1596 Dalr. I. 36/7.
Vndir that earth ar fund gret stokis and blokis of wondirful akes and vthir tries

b. fig. A blockish person; a stumbling block. 1568 Pref. Lyndesay 8.
Idil bellyis, ignorant blokkis, and dum doggis 1572 Bann. Memor. 340.
He hes thocht to lay the mae blokis in my way to recover it [sc. property]

3. A pulley or sheaf of pulleys. 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 86.
Payit … for blokkis and brassin schiffis 1512 Ib. IV. 305.
For the fraucht of j^c brasin gret blokis … fra the Feir of Leith 1538 Ib. VIII. 160.
For bowtis to the blokkis 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 355.
For fecheing of ane bloke furth of the castell, and ane uther furth of the abbay 1571 Inverness B. Rec. I. 198.
Ane keill of ane boit wyth ane blok 1645 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 47.
Aucht bloks of tre … with four towes for heissing vp and doun the barrowes