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

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Slok(k)in, v. Also: -yn, -en, slockin, -en, slokne, slo(c)kn-, sclokn-, slaken. [North. ME and e.m.E. slokken, slocken (both Cursor M.), slokyn, -en (Rolle), also in north. Eng. dial., ON slokna, f. slokinn, p.p. of sløkkva. Cf. Slok(e v.] tr.

1. To extinguish, put out (fire, flame, a light, etc.). Also proverb.(1) a1400 Leg. S. vi 593.
Vndyr tham sprange vpe a well & sloknyt sone … thai brynnand platis c1420 Wynt. vi 1406.
[The candle] mycht be sloknyd on na manere Be wattyr, nor be wyndis blyst a1500 Seven S. 1640.
This clerk … That slokinnit the fyre that warmit the pure a1500 Prestis of Peblis 1319.
Slokkin c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xii 20.
He … sal nocht slokin [P. quenche] a smewkand brand c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xxv 8.
Gefe ye to vs of your oile for our lampis ar sloknyt [P. quenchid] 1531 Bell. Boece II 34.
Otheris maid thame to slokin the flammis, ay more incressing be preis of windis 1531 Bell. Boece II 162.
His staf tuk neid-fire, and micht nocht be slokinnit 1551 Hamilton Cat. 178.
Water be natural propertie … slokins the thing that is het 1609 Crim. Trials III 6.
Ȝe nawayis causit stay or slokin the fyre, bot sufferit the samyn to rage, quhill the ruif of the hous began to fall 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 36.
For a tun of coalles to burne the craig on the grund of Wallace tour … For tua quartes of vinager to slokin it with 1638 Henderson Serm. 162.
Will not all be brunt who are in a house when fire enters into it, if so be that it be not slockined? 1645 S. Leith Rec. 58.
Quhen ever thair be any house to be cleansed that … thair be watter standing … in punsheens for fear of fyr to sloken the sameproverb. a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS No. 404.
Foul water slokens fyre 1685 Sinclair Satan's Inv. World 258.
[He] saw a small vessel full of water, and a coal of fire slockened in the water(2) 1679 Wodrow Hist. III (1829) 69.
Asking where these … men were who had slockened out the fires yesternight

b. specif. To extinguish a domestic heating or cooking fire, esp. as part of the process of taking possession of the house. a1540 Freiris Berw. 215 (B).
Be bissy als, and slokkin out the fyre 1547–8 Orkney & Shetl. Rec. I 118.
The fyir [being] scloknyt … and kendillit agane in hir and hir bairnis name 1592 Prot. Bk. T. Auchinlek 25.
The bailȝie … past to the hous … and sloknit the fyre … being thairin and kendlit the vtheris in … taikin of thair possessioun 1662 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. I 239.
They … break open the doors … slockened the fyre, kindled another fyre [etc.] 1673 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 174.
Did most veiolentlie come into my house … and slokined my fayer

c. fig. c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 168.
To win the well that slokin may the fyre In quhich I birn a1500 Seven S. 1835.
Thi dwm son will … slokin the fyre of thin almous a1500 Lufaris Compl. 2.
Teres … Scloknis the fyre that langour doith encresse 1531 Bell. Boece I 20.
This bludy and tressonabill pepill … sall nocht fail to rais amang us ane flame that sall nevir be sloknit 1533 Bell. Livy II 98/9.
Will ȝe nocht slokkin thir flammys with dynt of swerdis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1708.
The heit into thy hippis the salt sey will not slokin 1558-66 Knox II 277.
I travaled rather to mitigat, yea, to slokin, that fervencye a1578 Pitsc. I 86/6.
Thair kindlit ane fyre that was nocht abill to be sloknit out in na mans tyme levand in thir dayis 1581 Calderwood III 510.
Evill offices may sett a coale on fire, which ye cannot easilie slockin 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 451.
He sees that that blood is able to pacify the wrath, and slocken that fire

2. To cause (a spring) to cease to flow. a1500 Seven S. 2197.
Redy quod he, Couth thir sevyn bulleris slokinnit be

3. To extinguish (lust, anger, etc.). c1420 Ratis R. 644.
Lycor … That sloknis syne as vattir fyre a1450 Fifteen Ois 172.
All desire of warldly lufe Slokin in me c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 522.
The sueit savour of the sward … Myght … kindill agane his curage thoght it wer cald sloknyt 1533 Bell. Livy I 190/33.
The ire and indignatioun of thare pepill was slokynnyt be interuentioun of lang trewis a1538 Abell 32b.
Be thare persecutioun the faith wes amaist sloknit in Britane Arundel MS 283/137. a1561 Norvell Meroure 10b.
His death hathe done the fathers furie sloken — 1581-1623 James VI Poems I 155/393.
I of my spreit the uertu feilis all slokkenid 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 432.
His own Son … he never stops till his blood slockens his wrath

4. To eliminate, stamp out (furtht) (violence, disorder, etc.); to resolve (a quarrel). b. specif. To abolish (Purgatory).(1) 14.. Acts I 11/2.
That al maner of violence and wasting of herbery be stanchyt and slokynnit 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 36.
To fors the defendour the cause to slokyn & the querel of his aduersar be excepcone 14.. Reg. Maj. c. 127.
And forsuth mut of rycht of ony tenement or recognicone of sesyng to be askyt of ony of the antecessouris of the samyn it slokynnis befor batal be wagyt 1533 Boece 105.
This civil division amang ȝow suld first be slokynnyt 1533 Boece 289b.
Vter … vehementlie desirit … the weris suld be slokynnyt c1575 Balfour Pract. 411.
The defendar sould extenuat, mak less, or slokin and tak away the petitioun or complaint of his adversar a1578 Pitsc. I 89/6.
Thir dangerus callamitieis quhilk lay nocht in our powar to quenche and slokin 1596 Dalr. II 445/31.
Tha … plyes monie had slokned(2) 1562-3 Winȝet II 77/24.
To tramp doun and slokin out al prophane nouelteis a1578 Pitsc. I 38/7.
This present discord … gladlie … I wald it war sa sloknit furtht … that thair sould nocht be … any kynd of memorie thairof 1596 Dalr. II 352/24.
The quene … slokned out this seditioune, be putting al the authoris to death 1596 Dalr. II 420/21.
Al our busines schortlie sal be stanchet and clair slockned outb. c1590 Fowler II 61/21.
In an worde he slokkins purgatorie

5. To mitigate, ease (sorrow). Also proverb.(a) ?1438 Alex. ii 3323.
Ȝour humilite Hes slokned all my syte 1560 Rolland Seven S. 1910.
This is na mendis to me, … Ȝit my greit wo it slokins in sum part(b) 1611-57 Mure True Crucifixe 2446.
Till God thy dolours slaken, in some sortproverb. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 213.
Ane meik answer slokins melancolie 1584-9 Maxwall Commonpl. Bk. Prov. No. 173.

6. To satisfy (an appetite, desire, etc.). b. With personal object. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 283.
I had a lufsummar leid my lust for to slokyn c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus i 342.
Bot weill I knaw thy vndantit barnage Will haif ane May bot fra it slokinnit be 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2302.
His rampand rage of ȝouth he had compleit And had slokinnit of bedsolace the sweit 1596 Dalr. I 151/22.
A hundir noble virginis … could nocht al mitigat nor … slokne his vnquencheable and sensual appetiteb. 1605-6 Welsh Forty-eight Serm. 472.
Nothing can slocken thee but his blood allenarly 1681 Cloud of Witnesses 135.
Now … they must have our blood to slocken them. I leave my testimony against the parliamenters and my blood upon them

7. To quench (one's thirst). Also fig. b. With personal object. c1420 Liber Calchou 449.
Drynk bot mesurabyll to slokyn thi thryst c1420 Wynt. iii 313 (W).
Watter … Quhare with he mycht slokin [R. slok, C. sloik] his thrist c1409-1436 Kingis Q. § 69.
My drye thrist with teris sall I slokin a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 739.
Bitter wyne … thai him gaif to slokin his thristing 1570 Cramond Sc. Drink 10.
[To] sloken thair thirst with herbis a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 430 (W).
Ȝone slaye … May satisfie to slokkin Thy thrist a1689 Cleland 34.
Some ran for dring their drought to slockenfig. 15.. Clar. v 1841.
All the world micht slokin not thair thrist 1565 Gathering of the Halie Signes 5b.
Jesus Christ, fra quham procedit blude and water, to slokin the thrist of sinners a1651 Calderwood IV 36.
As that the thrist and crueltie of the procurers therof might be satiat and slockened therewithb. Arundel MS 280/41.
Our Lord Jesu Crist, … thristand, slokinnit with gall and vinikar 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I 111.
With ane terible drowtht, that na drink mycht slokin him

8. To slake (lime). 1583–4 Edinb. B. Rec. IV 327.
Proclamatioun … dischairging ony … persouns to slokkyn their lyme vpoun the hie streits 1612 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 101.
For bearing watter to slokin the tounis lymb

9. intr. To cease, go out, be extinguished. a1500 Seven S. 2212.
Than slokinnit the first bullour quyte c1490 Porteous Noblenes 178/11 (A).
Gud luf may nocht faile stanche nor slokin 1535 Stewart 56106.
Ony fyre that he culd bring thairtill, It sloknit ay ilk tyme of the awin will 1596 Dalr. II 164/12.
Quhen the benifices … of this maner war disponet, al inuie slokned 1642 Baillie II 36.
To keepe that miserable countrie of Ireland in that fyre of warre which was on the poynt of slockning