A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Dask, n. Also: daske, dasck(e. [ME. deske (Chaucer), med. L. desca. Cf. Desk n. The irreg. vowel of the usual Sc. form is unexplained.]
1. A desk, seat, or pew in a church. (Common in 17th c.)1530 Lindores Chart. 32.
Fyif plawes, tharof ane greyn and ane wd greyn, of our dask in the kyrk 1532 M. Works Acc. II. 66.
For grathing & beting of daskis of the chapell 1568 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 5.
Tua elnis hardin to dicht the daskis in the kirk a1578 Pitsc. I. 258/22.
He come quhair the king was sittand in the dask at his prayeris Ib. 24.
He … leinitt doune grouflingis on the dask 1589 St. A. Kirk S. 652.
That … the pulpeit and daskis in the kirk be sowpit and haldin clein 1600 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 207.
For candill … for serving the cheiff and principall daskis of baytht the kirkis, quhairin the magistrattis and counsall usis to sitt 1616 Elgin Rec. II. 149.
The provest and bailleis … have acted them selffis to redelyver the dask quhilk they borrowit out of the queir 1626 Kinghorn Kirk-S. 29.
That Robert Thallane suld haue that place to plant ane dask in … quhair umquhill Mr. Robert Glen his dask standis 1651 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 118.
To rectifie and build the Burnetis dask in forme of pewes, the said dask not cumeing furder out on the floor of the old church nor the poynt of the Forbes dask 1668 Melrose R. Rec. II. 200.
Andrew Fischer … under pretext that the seat belongs to him did cast furth our fower dasks 1676 Colquhoun Chart. 277.
Walked … through the said kirk to ane dask or piew 1695 Cromarty Corr. I. 116.
Ane act from our magistrats and eldership for ane dask in our church 1711 Lanark B. Rec. 284.
A litle pew or dask on the head of the old councell seatt touards the pulpittattrib. 1642 Elgin Rec. II. 243.
To put ane litle seat befor the tutor of Duffes dask door 1681 Foulis Acc. Bk. 74.
For the dask maill in Tron church
2. A school-desk.1698 Ann. Banff II. 177.
Any scholler who shall … cutt, brak, or abuse the daskes, &c., to be lyable for damnadges
