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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Wouk, Wo(u)lk, Weke, Wik(e, n. Also: wouke, wouyk, wowk(e, wook(e, wolke, volk, wok(e, woi(l)k, voik, wulk, vulk, veuk, vek(e, wei(c)k, vei(c)k, week(e, weeik, wiek, wylk, wick(e, uik, uick(e, (wewck). Ouk n. Pl. also wox. [ME and e.m.E. wuke (Orm), wike (Layamon), weke (c1275), wouke (1297), wyck (a1300), woke (a1325), wook (Trevisa), weeke (1546), weicke (1556-7), wick (1590), OE wice, MLG, MDu. weke, OHG wehha, wohha, ON vika.]

1. The week, seven days from Sunday to Saturday. = Ouk n. 1. b. In the wouk, per week. Cf. 3 c below.Quot. 1522 may belong in 5 a below.(a) c1420 Wynt. iv 2349.
Abowte the hundyr day Wouke [C. wouyk], moneth, or moment 1443–4 Ayr Chart. 28.
Nouthir on the merkate day na yit nane uthir day of the wolk c1490 Porteous Noblenes 61/5 (Ch. & M.).
Ane man … that will … pas the tyme day be day and wolk be wolke 1551 Hamilton Cat. 51.
All lesum warkis may be begon als well on the Satterday as ony other day of the wouke 1556 Dundee B. Ct. III 72 (5 Oct.).
Ony day in the wok except Wedinsday & Settirday(b) 1490 Irland Mir. I 128/20.
Adam was … creat in the sext day of the vek 1552 Dundee B. Ct. II 152b (9 May).
The provest … hes assignit ane day in euerilk weik (videlicet) Vedinsday to [etc.] 1602 Bk. Univ. Kirk III 1002.
That … ther be ordinar preaching … every Tuesday, in the remembrance of the delyverie of his Majestie that day of the weik 1616 Aberd. Council Lett. I 137.
Tua lessones of mathematik ilk weikb. 1522 Stirling B. Rec. I 16.
Sir Robart sall … say twa messis in the wouke 1529 Linlithgow B. Ct. 15 Oct.
That the cunnaris … sall pas twis in the wolk 1530 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 105.
Voik 1564 Peebles B. Rec. I 297.
That all prebendaris … keip the exhortascioun thre dais in the woilk(b) 1622-6 Bisset II 218/3.
Veik 1647 Elgin Rec. II 255.
To light four plak candle four nights in the weke everie weke

2. Any period of seven consecutive days. = Ouk n. 2. b. ((Be, in) the space of, for) ane wouk, thre wox, etc., for, during the period specified. = Ouk n. 4 (2), (3), (5), (12) and (13).(a) 1375 Barb. ix 360.
Woukis 1398–9 Liber Melros 490.
Ovre runnen and ganeby sex wowkis daye eftir the lymite terme(b) c1475 Wall. ii 273.
Hyr dochtir had of xii wokkis ald a knayff 1534 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 115.
Continewit to the xvi day of Maii … the quhilk is xv wokkis(c) 1496–7 Acta Conc. II 69.
He being arrestit on Candilmes evin and the day of payment nocht cummand quhil on the morne tharefter and als the wolk nocht being complet or the sade decret was gevin(d) 1626 Justiciary Cases I 52.
That fyftene vulkis befoir hir delyuerie sa that scho was able to travell bot [etc.](e) 1586 Gray Lett. & P. 76.
He vill haive forces in redines vpon sex veukis efter that he shall resseue commandiment for levying(f) 1589 Cal. Sc. P. X 187.
28 weke off seas frome this, everie weke off seas 4 Scottis myle 1679 Scots Magazine (1814) 200 in Murray Witch-cult 114.
Yow … had ane other metting abowt fyve wekes ago(g) 1552–3 Dundee B. Ct. II 206 (9 Jan.).
To pay … thre li. of money within thre weikis nixt immediatlie folowand 1654 Lamont Diary 71.
To be holden euery thrie weicks(h) 1662 Soc. Ant. XXII 230.
Weeks(i) 1687 Dunlop P. III 38.
Afars in Britn are so much altrid … within these few mounths or wicksb. 1375 Barb. xiv 132.
That all the folk … war Refreschyt weill ane wouk or mar c1420 Wynt. v 562.
Syne wox [C. woukis, W. oulkis] thre … ordanyd he All Crystyne man in fastyng hald … Before the Natyvyte, [That] the Adwent now call we 1468 Edinb. Chart. 127.
The cessione of Edinburgh to sit a moneth, and the cessione in Perth v wulkis 1537–8 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 213.
For his furnessing of mett and claythis be the space of xxxii wolkis 1538–9 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 249.
To … the saidis xiii hors for x wolkis symmer sessoun x bollis benis 1575 Orkney Oppress. 8.
Thomas being … keepit prisoner the space of six vulkis(b) 1618–19 Macgibbon & Ross V 550.
For the maister of warkis extraordinary charges, he being a haill weik at the warkis, £13 9 s. 8 d. 1646 Old Ross-shire II 15.
I keipt my men … at Dornoch for ane whole weick 1649 Elgin Rec. II 265.
Compeired William Falconar for making three penie brydails in the space of twa wekes 1653 Wemyss Corr. 97.
To delay a fortnight or thrie uickes at most

3. Used as a unit of payment or accounting. = Ouk n. 3. Also const. ilk, this. Cf. Ouk n. 4 (6), (7), (10) and (15). b. possess. Per week; for (during) a period of weeks. Also, once, attrib. c. In the wolk, per week.(a) 1397–8 Liber Melros 490.
I … sal paye ilke wowke … halfe a marc 1475–6 Edinb. B. Rec. I 34.
Ilke man or woman that occupiis the craft sal … ilke wolk geif to the altare a peny 1492 Treas. Acc. I 205.
For alimos, gevin woulkly, of xxiiij wokkis xlviij li. 1494 Treas. Acc. I 246.
For viij wolkis and ij dayis sawyng … l s. 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 22.
To vi verkmen this wolk … xxx s. 1533 Wigtown B. Ct. 277a.
Haldene fra hyme of xviii d. the ilk wok of xx wokis 1553 Lanark B. Rec. 27.
Geif the said Jhone payis the said soume … forrow … Lammes the said Hew sall geif doun of the said soum als mony bawbeis as he payis the soum wolkis forrow the said day 1563 Dumfries B. Ct. 182b.
To be payt to [him] … on viij dayis varnyng with thre d. ilk volk(b) 1510 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 10.
James Scot to … paye for ilk wik of tua yeris to Jhone Boyll ii s. 1616 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 13.
To fyve men tua weikis at the making of the cairt gait … haveing v s. in the day 1618 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 108.
4 weik to tua men for thair waiges 1628–9 Misc. Maitl. C. III 371.
Payed to Mungo Mak Clew for ringing of the Castell bell for viij weikis x s. in the weik 1633 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 358.
To Johne Thomsone for working ane weik at the craige 1649 Sc. Lore I 274.
Summa of this weik is [etc.] 1657 Hibbert P. No. 20.
I sould pay ilk a weeik for the same … 8 or 9 shillingis 1677 Fawside Coal Compt 14.
Superspendit last uik £3 17 s. 8 d. 1681 Fawside Coal Compt 77.
There being but one uicke or two at most aughtine to James Fiergreiffeb. (1) 1494 Edinb. Hammermen 4b.
This is my ressait of the wolkis peny 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 458.
Summa of the wolkis wagis 1529–30 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 9.
To the furnessing of the wolkis werk in Halycroce(b) 1520 Perth Hammermen 11.
Deliverit of the weik's penny ij s. 1621 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 97.
Everie wekes contributioun(2) 1512 Treas. Acc. IV 356.
To ane nurice to the prince … at was prewit with sex wolkis mylk 1554 Dundee B. Ct. II 337 (17 Sept.).
Scho gat ane siluir belt … for aucht wookis burd(b) 1617 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 84.
For 4 weikis wark at the sklaitting 1651 Milne-Home MSS 102.
For 8 wickis sentrie [£27 19 s. 4 d.] 1671 Dunferm. Coal Acc. 1b.
To Andro Wilsone ane weiks wadge(c) 1628 Soc. Ant. XXIII 268.
For fyve wewckis [pr. zewckis] fies xxiij lib.(d) 1683 Fawside Coal Compt 107.
To the Mertins 2° uicks pansw[ood](3) attrib. 1507 Prestwick B. Rec. 40.
Marione Broune accusyt Agnes Adame that scho wrangwysly & aganys the law, of the wouk wark of hir dochtir haldync. 1504 Wemyss Chart. 123.
Expensis … kepis … v s. in the wolk(b) 1653 Sc. Ant. IV 98.
Tua hundreth pound in the ȝeare and tua pekes of meall in the wicke

4. a. In expressions serving to specify a date. Passing into b. A (particular) period of seven days. c. A period specified in relation to a particular day or season. See also Law Sonday n., Passio(u)n-wo(u)lk n. and Witson attrib. a for further examples.Cf. Ouk n. 4 (6), (7), (8), (9), (11), (14), (15) and (17).a. 1435 Ayr B. Ct. 8 Oct.
To enter him that day thre wolkis 1530 M. Works Acc. (ed.) I 35.
Item the forsaid hors furnest this wolk and the wolk precedand witht hay(b) 1606 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 50.
Wer delated … to hawe abused thame selffis this last weik be extraordinar drinking 1616 Fraserburgh Kirk S. 69 (14 Feb.).
Being in Aberdour the weik befoir 1621 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 97.
Veke 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 3 Oct.
Carrabein and the conductor of your lordship's waggens had there dyit all this weik 1674 Fam. Rose 371.
I purpose to send ane express of my own nixt weick 1681 Douglas Corr. 278.
I receaved your later and shall be glad to sie you hear this wike … ells I most be gon er yow com 1686 Old Ross-shire II 19.
If they can win in to the moss [gap] begin this wick 1698 Foulis Acc. Bk. 225.
Got out of the dowcat last weeke 7 pair of dowesb. (1) 14.. Burgh Laws c. 49 (B).
That vplandis men may borw thair pondis thre tymys fra wouke [A. wolk] to wouke 14.. Acts I 331/2.
At thai ger nocht examyn ilk wolk or at the lest ilk xv dayis of brede and aile 1551 Hamilton Cat. 68.
Thai that ar all the wouke in labouris(b) 1628 Edinb. B. Rec. VII 289.
Everie regent is apointed to be hebdomader his weik about 1633 Dunferm. Hammermen MS 9.
Ilk veick 1633 Innes Sketches 514.
Frome weik to weik dureing his Maiesties aboad(2) 1638 Hamilton P. (Camden Soc.) 12.
Itt uill be a dificult wooke and blodie(b) c1628 Edinb. B. Rec. VII 288, etc.
The regents conveynis in the regents chalmer who was hebdomader the weick preceiding 1646 Glasgow B. Rec. II 91.
To try [etc.] … and to report the nixt weick 1674 Edinb. B. Rec. X 205.
It would … have [etc.] … if we had delyed to the week efter a1679 Wemyss in Sc. Diaries 125.
I give [the salters] … that wiek they peaddill … ane dousen of leads of colles 1680 Sheriffhall Coal Accompt 28 Aug.
Noo work this weik by reasone of ill airec. c1420 Wynt. vii 1623 (C).
Off the Ȝhoil wouk the fift day Off hym the fest is haldyn ay 1425–6 Acts II 11/2.
The Monunday of the first hail wolke of Lenteryn 1428 Liber Melros 520.
Quhill Wednysday into Witsonday woke 1428 Liber Melros 521.
Witson woik 1429 Sc. Hist. Rev. XXXI 145.
The woke efter Qwyssonday 1471 Acta Aud. 16/1.
The dome was gevin … in passioun woulk 1494 Treas. Acc. I 245.
Thar is xxviii wolkis, of the quhilkis thar is to be falkyte twa wolkis of the tyme of Ȝowle(b) 1543 St. P. Henry VIII V 263.
The Parliament begane the 12 of Marche, and in the wylk afore thare convenit [etc.]

5. a. In the wouk, on a weekday. b. Throw the week, on (week)days, other than the day specified. c. attrib.Taking place on a weekday.a. 1478 Grey Friars II 15.
The quhilk male … for a messe in the woukb. 1674 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS 9 Dec.
That ther are … persons … who sellis meill throw the week at ane deirer rate nor it gives in the mercat dayc. 1646 Glasgow B. Rec. II 96.
To raise the psalmes … on the Saboth and … at the weick sermones 1684 Cramond Kirk S. II supra 6 July.
The week sermon to be on Friday