Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Leke, Leik, n.¹ Also: leike, leick, liek(e, leek(e. [ME. lek (13th c.), leke, leek (14–25th c.), OE. léac.]

1. A leek. Also attrib. with seid, ȝarde.(a) 14.. Acts I. 304/2.
Of a byrthing … of brede or lekys a farding 1587 St. A. Test. II. 78.
Certane lekis growand in the ȝaird price therof xx s.(b) a1400 Leg. S. xl. 404.
He … in the ȝard sone has sene Caile & leikis faire & grene c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 102 (M).
Als lauchtane as ane leik a1568 Scott v. 34.
Grene leikis and all sic 1585 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 426.
That nane … sell … any sybois, leiks, or vngyeouns induring this present pestilence 1662 Soc. Ant. XXII. 230.
Marget Litster put an bunch of leiks in the said bairn's hand 1681 Foulis Acc. Bk. 80.
My wife payed for mor seeds, leicks, beets and sybasattrib. 1477 Ayr B. Ct. 13 Apr.
The leik ȝarde 1504–5 Treas. Acc. III. 129.
For seidis to the gardin of Linlithqw, ane pund ingȝoun seid, ane pund leik seid, and othir divers smal seidis 1587 St. A. Test. II. 94.
Ane vnce of leik seid(c) 1649 Culross 232.
Pulling lieks in hir yaird in tyme of divine serviceprov. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 608.
He is ane ill gairdner quho lackes his awin leeks

2. As a type of something of little value.(1) a1400 Leg. S. xxxiii. 778.
I … gyfis nocht of thé a leke Na of thi fare heicht, na of thi spek ?1438 Alex. ii. 9288.
Than was he … sa fulfilled of shame … That he countit nocht his lyfe ane leik 1571 Bann. Trans. 96.
Bayth him and all thair cumpany … I cair thaim nocht a leik 1603 Philotus lxix.
Ȝour honour … I seik, I count not by my lust ane leik 1587-99 Hume 42/27.
Lust, luxurie, nor deintie fair, they raik not by a leik(2) a1500 K. Hart 940.
No fallow wourth ane leik 1540 Lynd. Sat. 837.
Princis nor potestattis ar not worth a leik, Be thay nocht gyddit be grace a1568 Bann. MS. 144 a/30.
His doingis wes nocht wirth a leik 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xxxix. 205.
Sum gripit gold and gat the thing he seikis; Sum stuid beside and gat not worth twa leikis a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 1374 (Wr.).
I know no liquour worth a leeke To quench his deadly drouth 1603 Philotus xxxix.