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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.

Defalk, v. Also: defalc, defaulk. [Late ME. defalke (1475), OF. defalquer, L. dēfalcāre. Cf. Defalcate v. and Defaik v.]

1. tr. To deduct, subtract (from a sum, etc.).(a) 1456 Hay II. 94/24.
It efferis to the king to … defalk and rebate thame sumpart of thair devoiris 1464 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 59.
Quhat tyme the saide Iohn … pays … fife merkis of the vsuale mone of Scotland, fife schillingis ȝerly … sall be defalkyt 1479 Acta Aud. 87/2.
Defalkande to the said William samekle as he may pruf … that the saidis bassing and eware was laid in wed to him for 1483 Ib. 123/1.
Samekle of the said wyne … salbe defalkit to him in his fraucht 1509 Reg. Privy S. I. 272/1.
He … allowis to him in his fee xx lib. to be defalkit of the saidis (100) lib. 1531 Liber Aberbr. 503.
Becaus that the … teynd schawys ar defalkyt and of strikyn in the haill wictualis 1559 Liber Coll. Glasg. 227.
Iohne Blair … will nocht defalk and allow the said annuell 1584 Edinb. Test. XIV. 176 b.
I leue my said smyddie graith to … my sone, he defalkand & gevand doun ten merkis of his portioun thairfore 1595 Melville Chart. 141.
Quhilk haill soume … salbe defalkit and allowit to the said Sir Robert Melvill 1606 Conv. Burghs II. 224.
Thay allow and defalk to the said burgh the sowme of 1000 merkis 1622-6 Bisset I. 189/15.
The dewitie of the ground, or house maill … quhilk suld be defalked and defeased in the actioun 1661 Edinb. Test. LXX. 112 b.
Thrie barrell of cutt tobacco, the net or clean wecht quhairof (the ter being defalked) did extend to iij c. lx lib. wecht 1688 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 323.
That the number [of militia] desyred to be defalked and laid on Kinrose be approven(b) 1531 Reg. Privy S. II. 107/1.
Payand … twa martis and tua mottonis, defalcand to him and thame for the saidis martis and mottonis 1541 Ib. 662/2.
Defalcand and deduceand to him thairof the soume of iii^c lib. 1657 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 366.
For geting the cese [= cess] imposit on the Gorballis … remittit and defalcit af the schyre 1670 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. III. 220.
To deduce and defalct the soume of fywe thowsand merks from the petitioners present valuation of their lands(c) 1460 Stewart Mem. 64.
Sa fer as it is of vale that happynnis to be recouerit sall be defaulkyt to the said Iohne Stewart of the four markis of male 1504 Exch. R. XII. 193 n.
Oure landis of Ramogny … war hichit in ferme to twa chaldir of atis and ane chaldir of beir, defaulkande tharfor sax pund of pennymaile 1689 Lanark B. Rec. 227.
Their shall be tuentie merkes defaulked off the forsaid soume

2. absol. To make a deduction or allowance. 1456 Hay I. 146/13.
Sen the king payis his wagis … , he aw to defalk for the mene tyme