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

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

Tak, n.³ Also: tack(e, take. Pl. also tax. [ME and e.m.E. tak (14th c.), takke (Prompt. Parv.), tack(e (1574); Tak v.²]

1. A nail or tack. b. transf. A thorn. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 9/69.
On to the crose of breid and lenth … Syn tyit him on with greit irne takkis [A. tax] a1585 Polwart Flyt. 545 (H).
His luggs baith lang and leane quha can but lacke, That to the trone hes tane so many a take? 1679 Receipt in Athole MSS 62 II 157.
Receaved by me [sc. a wright] … two hundereth dowble plenshions … two pound of tack at 4 shilling the poundb. ?a1500 Dewoit Exerc. 140.
The fals traitouris … set apone the croun of thorne, and thristit with all thair … mycht the horrable scharp takis of it throw ȝour tender flesche

2. A thin or narrow fastening, a thread, a stitch. Also fig. b. The frenum of the tongue. 1609 Dunferm. B. Rec. II 62.
Quhilk wound was lairge four inche lang & ressavit four neidill takis to the neidling thairof 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 199.
He cutted away his lug with ane great part of his haffett, so that the same hange be ane tackefig. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 531.
Howbeit my faith hang by a small tack and thread, I hope that the tack shall not breakb. 1671 Sel. Biog. I 247.
The sight of the father's danger brake the tack of a son's tongue who was tongue-tacked from the birth