A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1473-1643
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Halk, n. Also: halke, haulk. Common variant of Hawk n., with usual Sc. al, aul, for aw. 1473 Holyrood Chart. 152.
The ... sustening of hors halkis [etc.] 1488 Treasurer's Accounts I. 92.
To Dave Falconar that brocht a halk to the King 1496 Ib. 305.
To ij childer that chasit dukis in the dubbis, and set thaim vp to the halkis c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxii. 7.
I do lyk ane reid halk schout 1528 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 415.
I mon haue ane gud halk … that slais the heroune 1550 Reg. Privy C. I. 95.
That nane haron, duke, drake or ony fule … be slane … bot be halkis alanerly 1570 Leslie 79.
The King of Scotland send … a greit number of gude Scottis halkeis to the King of Inglang 1596 Dalr. I. 97/7.
The falcoun, the sparhalk, and diuersh vthiris kyndes of halkes 1623 Forbes Baron Ct. 277 n.
The saidis tennentis to answer … for keiping off the halkis nestis 1599 Criminal Trials II. 82.
Patrik Hammiltoun following his haulk c1610 Melville Mem. 4.
To maintain haulks, dogs and whores to a number of idle priests 1635 Stirling's Royal Lett. II. 842.
That yow be carefull … to sie the ayreis of these haulks carefullie preserved
b. attrib. Belonging to or used for hawks, or hawking, as halk bage, bell, clubb, fedder, gluve, etc. See also Halk-dog, -Hen. 1643 Edinburgh Testaments LX. 238.
Sextene single halk bages, … nyn double halk bagis — 1497 Treasurer's Accounts I. 360.
For halk bellis to the King 1586 Edinburgh Testaments XVI. 127.
Tua dossoun of greit halk bellis with fyve pair small 1612 Bk. Rates 289.
Bellis callid halk bellis — 1503 Treasurer's Accounts II. 376.
For twa halk clubbes — 1507 Ib. IV. 79.
For castokis to mend the Kingis halk fedderis — 1488 Ib. I. 92.
To the skynnar … for halk gluvis 1508 Ib. IV. 136.
Halk gluffis 1595 Edinburgh Testaments XXVIII. 195 b.
Ane halk gluif 1621 Ib. LI. 63 b.
Ane dosone of halk gluiffis 1643 Ib. LX. 238.
Aucht pair of haulk gloves — 1491 Treasurer's Accounts I. 182.
Til ane sowtar that sewyt halk hwdis to the king 1497 Ib. 365.
For ane done basand skyn, to be halk hudis 1574 Ib. MS. 350.
For certane halk bellis and halk hudis 1617 Reg. Great S. 569/1.
Reddendo … unum capitium lie haulkhuid nomine albe firme 1643 Edinburgh Testaments LX. 234 b.
Fower dossane of littell leather halk hudis 1643 Ib. 271. — 1643 Ib. 238.
Tuentie haulk lwires estimat all to xij lib. — 1540 Treasurer's Accounts VII. 326.
Ane clamschell to kepe the Kingis grace halk mete in — 1496 Treasurer's Accounts I. 277.
Giffin to the boy that brocht the towis, to clym the halk nest in the Abbotis Crag, ij s 1501 Ib. II. 108.
Giffin to the wif that kepit the halk nest of Cragorth ?1549 Monro W. Isles 14.
Ane ile … with ane halk nest in it 1621 Acts IV. 629/1.
Anent the harreing of haulk nestis — 1621 Edinburgh Testaments LI. 63 b.
Ane dosone of halk scheffis
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"Halk n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/halk_n>
