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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.

Muk, v. Also: muck(e, mwk, mok. [f. Muk n.; late ME. and e.m.E. mok(k)e (Prompt. Parv.), muck, (1530) in sense 2 below, (1641) in sense 1: cf. ON. moka to shovel (manure), Da. muge, moge, to remove dung, clear out a stable.]

1. tr. To clear of ‘muck’ (dung or dirt).As, to free (the mouldboard of a plough) from earth; to clear (a stable or byre) of dung; to clean out (a privy); to clean (a house); etc. Also absol. a1400 Leg. S. xxv. 131.
The patyl his hand clewyt to, The muldebred quhen he suld mvk c1500-c1512 Dunb. lx. 52.
Sa far abowe him sett at tabell That wont was for to muk the stabell 1540 Lynd. Sat. Procl. 83.
Milk the ky, And mvk the byre or I cum hame a1578 Pitsc. I. 181/30.
[They] was not worthie … to haue gevin ane prince counsall bot rather to haue haldin the pleugh … or, witht ȝour reverence, had mokit clossitis a1605 Montg. Flyt. 83 (T).
Ȝour mowthe wald be mwkkit, tillȝe wer instructit 1596 Dalr. I. 286/16.
That quha amang thame lay ydle sulde muk closetis 1604 Dundonald Par. Rec. 54.
Kaithrein Makteir helping hir to muk the hous 1657 Boharm Kirk S. 1 March.
Guiltie of brak of sabboth by … mucking byres 1658 Melrose Reg. Rec. I. 190.
[The judge] ordaines aither partie to soupe efter thair mucking and dighting in the entrie, and when they doe not mucke to dicht and soope day about the entries 1689 Foulis Acc. Bk. 112 (see Muk n. 1 (a)).

2. To dress (land) with dung or compost, to manure. Also absol. ? 1551 Old Dundee II. 234.
[He] had with him ane wheelit cart wherewith [they] muckit the mill lands 1568 Inverness Rec. I. 171.
[They] refuys … to fyll thair awin horsis that is mukkand and wayrand in Eister Drakye 1608 Inverurie B. Ct. 1 Nov.
And quha that refussis ane hors ane day to muk to the said George [etc.] 1643 Melrose Reg. Rec. I. 104. a1699 Skene Agric. MS.
The owtfeild land is land that is never muckitt Ib.
Then [they] mucks it verie weill the thrid tyme they teall it

3. To make dirty, to foul. 1618 Kirkcubr. B. Rec. I. 225.
[Margaret Stirling] to make the vell cleine and muckna vnder the pane of v lib.

4. To scrape together or hoard up (wealth).Also e.m.E., implied in mucker (1567, 1584) money-grubber (= Muker n.) and mod. Wiltsh. dial. (E.D.D.) muck v.: cf. also Muker v. and Muk n. 3. c1590 Fowler I. 81/123.
To muk and gather gold and so your handis defyle