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

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Mark, Merk, v. Also: marke, marc(k, marque, merc, mirk. P.p. markit etc., also mark. [ME. mark(e, north. and north midl. merk(e, OE. mearcian, ONorthumb. merciᵹa, also ON. merkja.]

1. tr. To trace, plot or mark with landmarks, a boundary for, to delineate, mark out or off. Also absol.(1) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 203.
[He] tuk a lange red in his hand … [and] thare-vith al the palace can merk Quhare that the kinge vald haf his vark c1420 Wynt. i. 534.
Asy the tane half occupyis,¹/₁₂ The tothir part … Ewrope haldys and Affryca,¹/₁₂ As men may be a roundale se Markyd to be delt in thre 1498 Prestwick B. Rec. 35.
His pairt of the mos merket be him befor 1502 Prot. Bk. J. Foular I. i. 170.
The view gabile is ferrar biggit northwart … be al the space merkit be the master mason … in the fore wal … than it suld be 1512 Ib. ii. 148. 1568 Prot. Bk. J. Foulis 53.
Quhair the erd is markit the marche to be set quhill it cum [etc.] 1572 Acts III. 73/2.
Thay haue appoyntit markit and designit the said mans … to the vse of the minister 1615 Reg. Great S. 503/2. —1633 Inverness Rec. II. 170 (see Methe v., p.p. (b).)(2) 1466 (1471) Reg. Great S. 215/1.
Referrand fra the north burn again to the merchis of Estirbrichty lik as we proppit and merkit thare on the north west parte(3) 1695 Glasgow B. Rec. IV. 153.
That he … stobb and mark out the ground Ib. 222.
A timber hoofe which is to be meithed and marked off

b. To fashion, frame. 1513 Doug. vi. i. 42.
Thar was alsso craftely schape and mark That namekouth hows, quhilk Laborynthus hait Ib. viii. Prol. 148.
Sen God merkyt man

2. fig. a. To mete out, allot, apportion. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 807.
For al the mobil on the mold, merkit to meid a1500 Sir Eger 2220.
Of cookerie she was wonder slee, And marked all as it should be, Good beef and mutton to be broo

b. To express, state in words. c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 650.
The secund proffit, rycht as our text it merks, Tuytching the bringing furth of Godlie werks With faithfull pepill 1606 Birnie Kirk-b. xix.
The Lords wordes meanes more then they marke

c. To point out (as being what the complement states). 1513 Doug. Æn. Exclam. 41.
Weill I wait, our wark … sal … pas the tyme, … Ane othir proffit of our buke I mark, That it salbe reput a neidfull wark 1680 Lauder Observes 12.
I mark as extraordinary, for to leive a better stipend to goe to a much leaner

3. tr. To make a distinctive mark or sign upon, as a means of identification or attestation; chiefly in passive: Marked (in a certain way). Also transf. and fig.For the ‘Devil's mark,’ see Mark n.¹ 7 b.active 14.. Acts I. 334/2.
To merk clatht witht the selis of thar office 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 12.
At thai cum to the tolbuth with thar pekkis and furlottis to merk the samyn 1533 Gau 12/13.
Thay that markis or chermis thair self or thair hws or thair bairnis 1610 Rothiemay Kirk S. in J. Gordon's Hist. I. App. liii.
[That] the magistrat marke her with ane hot irne c 1648 Bk. Pasquils 154.
To know them one by one afarre We'll mark them with a lick of tarrepassive (a) ? 1446 Reg. Episc. Aberd. I. 246.
The stannand stain merkit lik a hors scho 1496 Halyb. 201.
It is merkit with 8 hakis 1573 Inv. Wardrobe 190.
Thre or four buikis merkit with the Quene and King of Frances armes 1574 Acts III. 92/2.
Quhilkis plakkis and hardheidis sa merkat salhaif cours [etc.] 1609 Conv. Burghs II. 284.
That all hering and quhytt fische be saltit … and … nane to be transportit … quhill thai be packit, wraikit and merkett 1615 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 322.
Thay fand ane merche stane perfytelie merkit with the signe of the sauser(b) 1578 Glenartney Doc.
[Deer] to be markat and brint by our forrester 1590–1 Newes from Scotland 215.
They suspecting that she had beene marked by the devill 1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 102.
If thair be any wark fund of less walew markit as said is he sall be lyable for the samen 1661 Melrose Reg. Rec. I. 344.
The said lambes … markit with his keile and marketransf. 1513 Doug. x. vii. 81.
At this tyme has Pallas … Markyt ȝou swa with sic rude differens a1578 Pitsc. I. 319/27.
Thair war money markit that day witht his markfig. 1581 Burne Disput. 13.
Christ … also hes markit vs, and geuin to vs the arlis pennie of the halie spreit in our hairtis c1590 Fowler I. 52/132.
We … bothe together marked lyke and touched with one pik

b. ? To embroider. 1562 Will A. Betoun 224.
xxii servietis mirkit with sylk

c. In passive: ? (To be) identified (by), to receive identification from (some distinguishing feature). 1601 Crim. Trials II. 375.
[The name of the clerk is never stated, but] it being the register of the sherefdome is merkit be the clerk, quhilk is sufficient for the haill horningis thairin contenit

4. spec. To identify by means of writing. a. To inscribe or write on, in order to identify. 1513 Doug. vi. xvi. 7.
Thy tumbe and banys merkit with thy name 1570 Prot. Bk. A. Lawson i.
The first leif ewerie tent leif and the last leif ar markit with the signe and subscriptioun of Robert Scott and the haill rest with Scott 1592 Acts III. 569/2.
That the registratioun … beir … the nowmer of the leiffis of the buik quharin it is registrat; quhilk buik salbe markit be the hand of the clerk of register or his depute Ib.
That … the … kepair … write … vpoun the bak of the lettre the day that he … passis the same the privie seill; quhilkis warrandis sua markit salbe maid furthcumand [etc.]

b. To indicate or identify (an item or entry in a record etc.) by a written mark or note. c. To note down, make a written note of. 1569 Reg. Privy C. II. 9.
The personis noted with D denyit to gif his grace counsall … and the utheris personis markit with G grantit … counsall 1630 Fraserburgh Kirk S. II. 18 July.
[She] affirmit scho … communicat althoicht scho was not markit swa in the buik 1633 Johnston Diary I. 148.
Every Sunday to repeat with them the sermons quhilk I marqued with my killavyne penne 1646 Dalkeith Presb. in Butler Leighton 226.
[They] desyret their voyces should be market as disassenters 1667 Fife Synod 185.
This is to be markit in the presbitry book 1691 Foulis Acc. Bk. 136.
The 8^t booke of Stirlingshyre register of seas., marked 24 March last

5. To designate as if by putting a mark upon, to destine or mark down, for some undesirable destiny. c1530-40 Stewart Maitl. F. cxxviii. 50.
Than trasoun man be thrwnit to ane tre And mwrthour markit for his grit mischeiff 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii. 94.
All men on mold ar markit for to de a1605 Montg. Flyt. 370.
Thow art markit for a meischeif Foule vnworthie worme!

6. In Nisbet, ? after Purvey, rendering L. signāre to seal, mark with a seal or stamp, put a seal (upon). — c1520-c1535 Nisbet Rev. xx. 3.
[The angel] closit on him [Satan], and merkit [P. var. closide and markide on hym] that he desaue namare the folkis, till a thousand yeris be fillit

7. Of a prominent object: To serve as an indicator or marker of (a road), to show (a way). 1513 Doug. ii. xi. 31.
Fell … A fayr brycht starn, … Quhilk … hyd it in the forest of Ida, Markand the way quhidder at we suld spur

8. a. To notice, observe, perceive, ‘spot’. 1535 Stewart 41388.
He … spurrit his hors … Evin at the face syne markit of the king 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7058.
The knicht knew be countenance of the king That he had sene & markit that ilk ring c1650 Spalding I. 377.
This wes markit, spred throw Elgyne, and crediblie reportit to myself

b. To take (mental) note of, observe with care, attend carefully to.To mark one's or ane mirrour be or of, to attend carefully to the cautionary example of.(1) 1513 Doug. ix. Prol. 3.
And tharin merkis wysdome, vtilyte 1556 Lauder Off. Kings 515. Id. Minor P. i. 124. 1568 Cal. Sc. P. II. 490.
[One thing is worthy to be] merkytt [that Huntly came with this force](b) a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1290.
This sad resemblans mark in memoriale c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxv. 20. 1533 Gau 49/33.
Ewerie man suld perfitlie marck thir ii articulis of our Lordis resurrexione c1552 Lynd. Mon. 6267. 1562 Q. Kennedy Ressoning 3/11.
The effect is to be markit & nocht the terme 1562-3 Winȝet I. 52/33. 1571 J. Maitland Maitl. F. clxxvii. 85.
Merk als … the wage Off vntreuthe … And howe sone honour hes … lost for thair disloyaltie 1587-99 Hume 82/94.
For gif thou marke inarrowlie euerie faulte … it sall not be possible to be lang in patience 1599 Rollock Wks. I. 396. c1650 Spalding I. 258.
He attended the generall assemblie … and markit the procedure punctuallie(2) c1450-2 Howlat 970.
Now mark ȝour merour be me, all maner of man 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 521.
Now, brether, marke in ȝour remembrance Ane myrrour of those mutabiliteis

c. absol., in the imperative. c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 497.
Merk quhen ȝe pleas, ȝe sall nocht find it mis a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxvii. 4.
Gentle reader, mark I say, and thyne salbe the gain

d. absol. To look out, watch out. c1590 Fowler I. 66/218.
Lyke as one who … after with his ee Dois backwart lwkt with better sight the more to mark and see

9. intr. To take aim, aim a blow or a missile (at or to). a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 817.
Quhen ye mach hym on mold, merk to hym evin a1568 Scott xxxiii. 23.
Thow … markis quhair nevir styme thow seis Bot hittis be gais [= guess] 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æn. v. 508.
(Pariterque oculos telumque) tetendit, bent, markit

b. fig., tr. and intr. To ‘aim’ or direct (a satire or the like) against (a person or subject); to aim at (something) or to (some end), to have it as one's goal or object.(1) 1513 Doug. vi. Prol. 63.
Hundreth versis of Virgil, quhilk he markis Agane Romanys, til vertu thame to brod!(2) 1588 R. Bruce Serm. 288.
Bloodshed is the only thing that they shoot and mark at 1587-99 Hume i. 60.
To what end thy wisedome marks To catiues is vnknawin

c. To purpose or intend to do something. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1036 (Bann.).
With brokin skalp … This wolf … on his wayis went, Off his maynȝe merkand to gete remede 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3496.
Quhen thay mark to do ane mis [etc.] 1570 Sempill Sat. P. xii. 76.
Sen double murther markis to reule the rout 1596 Dalr. II. 399/31.
Prepareng … the destructione of the Catholik … Kirk, quhilk vttirlie tha mark to ouirthraw

10. To strike, hit. a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 851.
Thair mailȝeis with melle thay merkit in the medis 1513 Doug. xii. v. 132.
This dart hyt ane … And at the myddill markyt hym full rycht

11. a. reflex. To direct one's way, betake oneself. b. intr. To make one's way, proceed, advance, go (on), come (near). c. tr. To cause to go, to direct.Orig. only in verse, including alliterative, as appar. also in ME.a. a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 784.
Scho … fand a derne sted … & yddir ewinely can hyr mark [: angil wark] 15.. Clar. iii. 484.
Sum deill affrayit, furth scho did hir marke 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 877.
In Inglande couthe scho get none ordinance; Than to the Kyng and courte of Scotlande Scho markit hir 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3467.
Pilgrim I will be, And markis me heir vnto the halie landb. (1) a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 176.
Than he merkit with myrth our ane grene meid Ib. 480.
It wes mydmorne and mare, merkit on the day c1500 Crying of Play 77.
Scho merkit syne to land with myrth c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxi. 20.
Oft thow hes refusit Till cum ws till, or ȝit till merk ws neir a1550 Tayis Bank 90.
This myrthfull maid to meit I ment And merkit furth on mold(b) c1450-2 Howlat 2. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1822 (Bann.).
Thir small birdis … tuik thair flicht … Sum to the wod, sum markit to the mure a1500 Prestis of Peblis 626.
Justice, crounar, sariand and justice clark, Remoues the auld and new men ay thay mark 1513 Doug. Æn. Exclam. i. Ib. vi. iii. 80.
Now throw the deip fast to the port I mark 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4860.
Quhair mark ȝe to, or quhidder will ȝe go?(2) 1596 Dalr. II. 425/5. Ib. 406/1.
The aduersaris in the meine tyme markis til Edinburghc. 15.. Clar. ii. 1077.
At morne as Phebus markit up his face