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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.

Lok, n.¹ Also: lock(e; loke, loik; lowk, look. Also Loug and Louk(e. Plur. lokkis, lokis etc., also loctis, lox. [ME. lok(k, loc(k, OE. loc neut. (ON. lok lid; OE. also loca weak masc., ON. loka weak fem., lock or latch).]

1. A lock. Also attrib. with stapill, stok.As a fitted lock, padlock or other contrivance for locking up, which is operated by a key. For various special types, see bos lok Bos a. 3, Chak lok, Fet(t)er-lok, Forelok, Hingand lok, kist lok Kist n., Pad(d)ok-lok, Paddo-lok, pipe-lok Pipe n.¹ 4 attrib., Plate-lok, slottlok, slote lok Slot(t n.¹ 1 attrib., Stok-lok, Throuch-lok.To mak opin durris and lokkis (1557–8 Lochwinnoch Par. 60), see Opin a.sing. (a) 14.. Acts I. 306/2.
Of a kyst or of ane ark with lok, twa peniis 1488–9 Acta Conc. I. 106/2.
A cruk a lok price ij s. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlii. 26.
Thai … fetterit me but lok or cheyne 1530–1 Selkirk B. Ct. 150 b.
He set one the lokis of this almery … and quhen he vas putand one this lok and bandis he hard [etc.] c 1564 Glasgow Test. II. 22.
Ane langseddill kist without bandis or lok xl s. a1570-86 Maitl. F. lv. 60.
Ane birdles caige, ane key without ane lok 1592 Paterson Ayr & Wigt. III. 223.
The place of Aiket … has been ruinous and laid waist, but door, windo, lok, ruf 1594 Misc. Spald. C. II. 124.
Ye left your knyfe at the lok of the coffer 1629 Justic. Cases I. 100, 101.
And as to the circumstance of puting the coppie in the hoill of the lok … thair was nevir pype lok or uther lok or hoill or vestigium upone the dur bot only barris uithin 1641 Sc. N. & Q. 1 Ser. XII. 59.
To the smith … for mending the lok of the reuestrie door 1680 Craven Ch. in Orkney 91.
For lock and bands to the kirk door a 1700 Dunferm. Hammermen .
[Blacksmith's essay was] ane bigg locke with pipe and six crossmarksproverbs a1568 Bann. MS. 135 a/36.
Quhairof serwis the lok and the theif in the hous? —a1628 Carmichael [see Key n.¹ 1 (2).]attrib. 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 363.
For ane lok stapill, and redding of the nether kirk yaird yeitt 1587 Reg. Privy C. IV. 162.
The said complenaris coble wes lokkit at his lok stok(b) 1513 Treas. Acc. IV. 524.
For a loke to the wardrop dure, ij s. 1538 Ib. VIII. 160. 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 298.
For ane new greit hingand loke … to the Cowgait Port, becaus the auld loke was first brokin and mendit that it could nocht be efter mendit Ib. 353.
Ane loke with ane ourelyar and foure keyis till it 1574–5 Haddington Treas. Acc. 6.
For the onsetting of the loke of the kyrk dure 1679 Fawside Coal Compt 38.
A loke to the salter 00, 13, 4(c) 1582 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 122.
Ane loik to the toure … v s. Ib. 149.
Ane bak sprent, ane foir plait … to the loik(d) 1574–5 Haddington Treas. Acc. 6.
For ane lowk to the kirk dur 1615 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I. 375.
For ane grit look to the fitt of the turnpyck yett 1631 Kirkcudbright B. Rec. II. 439.
Jeane Browne … to tak the look aff the ȝetplur. (a) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 12.
Paule … wes … Presonyt and put in stokis, And eftere that vndir gret lokkis 14.. Acts I. 306/2.
Of a dussane of lokkys a half penny a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 369.
The ledis belife the lokkis vnlaissis a1500 Bk. Chess 275.
Bunding he was in chenȝeis & in lokkis [: stokkis] c1500-c1512 Dunb. lv. 13.
Thai brak vp durris, and raeff vp lockis [: pockis] 1517 Treas. Acc. V. 130.
For ij gret lokkis and keyis with slottis and stapillis 1518 Cochran-Patrick Coinage I. 62.
[To] caus the lokkis quhar the said irnis ar to be takin of and maid new agane 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3739 (Ch.).
Spair nocht to break the lockis [: box] 1554–5 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 294.
Ane greit lang chenȝe of irne … with foure armes gangand fra it, with foure loks and bolltis 1584 Edinb. Test. XIII. 151 b.
Ane greit flanderis balhewe lokkit with tua lockkis 1588 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 41.
Omit not to by lokkis to the chenis 1638 Old Ross-shire I. 124.
Ane fair cop almrie haiffing tua keepiugs with ther loks and keyis(b) 1590 Crim. Trials I. ii. 208.
[Thou] thaireftir lokit the duris and loctis(c) c1450-2 Howlat 606.
No creatur Of lokis nor lynx mycht lous worth a lence c1475 Wall. iv. 509.
Burdyn, duris and lokis … thai brynt wp in a fyr 1492 Acta Conc. I. 252/1.
The said woll … to be kepit … be the prouest … vnder twa lokis 1493 Ib. 287/2.
Twa lokis price xvj d. 1579 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 116.
Quhatsumevir yrnes, lokis, schaiklis, fetterris, rodis, keyes, … belonging to the office of javeloury 1601 Crim. Trials II. 341.
Ye … schot the lokis of all the kistis within the said place(d) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 4487 (Ch.).
Sum greidie fuill dois fill ane box, Ane vther fuill cummis and breaks the lox [B. lokkis]

b. Under lok, locked up, imprisoned.Also ME. (14–15th c.). a1500 K. Hart 273.
Thar saw I Lust ly law vnder lok … fast fetterrit fute and hand

2. Prob., a shackle for an animal's foot to prevent it from straying.As e.m.E. horse-lok (1486), lock (1539), and cf. Fet(t)erlok: but ? cf. also OE. gáta loc a pen for goats. 1528 Lynd. Dreme 894.
Quho wyll go sers amang sic heirdis scheip May habyll fynd mony pure scabbit crok And goyng wyll at large withouttin lok. Than Lupis cumis and Lowrance [etc.]