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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.

Fect, Feck, Fek, n. Also: fecte, fecc, fecke, feke. [Reduced form of Effect n. Also in northern Eng. dial.]

1. Effect, force, or value.(a) a1500 Lanc. 2938.
This is the fek of our entent 1495 Douglas Chart. 151.
The sell of Jhone of Symontone … haffand the fek and fors of hyr awne propir sell a1500 Seven S. 2664.
Of hir resoun this is the fek a1568 Scott xxxiv. 138.
Wald ȝe foirse the … fassoun & the fek, Ȝe suld it fynd inorme, With bawdry ȝow to blek c 1595 Maxwell Mem. II. 179.
That the raquestis suld tak na feke quhill ȝour metyng and his(b) 1535 Stewart 3538.
Out of his court he hes tane mony knaif, Quhilk in thair tyme war bot of litill fecc Ib. 39100.
Quhilk semis weill to be Of lytill fecc or ȝit auctoritie a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 618.
Thay ar maire faschious nor of feck(c) 1535 Stewart 10995.
Agricole ane failȝeit place thair fand, Of litill fect and falling to the ground Ib. 41287.
This king … The kirk of Durhame … Reformit hes … In forme and fect as it wes wont to be 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3604.
Quhairto, or to quhat fect suld I Tell ony taill, quhen it is not set by 1596 Dalr. II. 117/3.
Vnderstanding the fect and ground of his legacies … to Scotland he spuris at speid

2. The chief or main part (of something). The maist fect, the most or greatest part. c1475 Wall. viii. 700.
Swa sall we fend the fek of this regioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlii. 85.
Thai sailȝeit fast, all the fek, Lust chasit my ladeis chalmirleir 1535 Stewart 5631.
This Caratac, quhilk was so circumspect, With litill feir hes pangit all the fect Ib. 36187.
The lordis all … for the most fect Amang thame self held Donewald suspect Ib. 52262.
With litill feir the maist fect all tha slew

3. Quantity or amount of something. 1639 Baillie I. 196.
Our people had no commission to enterprize any thing which might … carrie the hazard of any feck of blood 1650 Carstairs Lett. 62.
Never able to say it from any fecke of experience