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

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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Sak(e, Saik, n. Also: saike, sayk; saek; seak; (seek); sack, salk. [ME and e.m.E. sake (12th c.), sak (Cursor M.), OE sacu str. fem. contention, strife; guilt, sin, ON sǫk crime, accusation, action at law, cause, sake.]

1. Accusation of guilt; ground of accusation; ground for punishment; fault, offence; guilt, sin.For-out sake. Cf. L. sine causa. a1400 Leg. S. ii 167.
Nero, mesure thi gret foly, And sla na man fore-owt sake [: mak v.] Ib. xxi 871.
He … drownyt hyme fore na vthyre sak, Bot that Cristine men suld nocht mak Cors-sancte of hyme Ib. xxiv 33.
Anna … seruit ay In the tempil … Foure schore of ȝere, forout sak & prophecy of God cane mak 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3622.
Thocht I delay my sonis saik for ane day It not anserris nor clenelie takis away

2. For (a. a person's or b. a thing's) sake, for (the) sake of (a person or thing): Out of consideration or regard for, because of one's interest in, on (the person's or thing's) account.For the maner(is) sake, see Maner n.¹ 3 b.a. (1) 1375 Barb. iii 3.
The lord off Lorne … That wes capitale ennymy To the king for his emys sak [: tak v.] Jhon Comyn Ib. vii 246.
Scho said, All that trawailland er For ane his sak [C. saik] ar welcum her a1400 Leg. S. i 62.
Clement sais at Peteris wyfe, For Cristis sak, losit the lyff Ib. iv 132.
That thai mycht vengeance on hym tak, Bath fore his and fore thar sak Ib. xxxiii 387.
His knychtly clething than He gef away for Godis sak [: tak v.] Ib. xxvii 1545, xxxvi 1168. 1456 Hay I 141/4.
For he did nocht his dedis of honour at hir request na for hir sake Ib. II 161/9.
He reconfortit him for Goddis sake and for cheritee a1500 Quare Jel. 153.
Ȝit for this ladies sak Sa mekle occupacioun schall I tak [etc.] 1513 Doug. ix viii 75.
With sic wobbis and wark … I comfort me in myne onweldy age And irkyt not to laubour for thy sake [: allake] c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 47. 1570 Edinb. Skinners in Bk. Old Edinb. C. VI 68.
Jhone Wolsoun … admittit for God sak to sarf the craft 1629 Reg. Privy C. 2 Ser. III 210.
That he gave the … messinger one kuff for the laird of Arbuthnot his maisters sake(b) c1450-2 Howlat 565 (A).
Quhilk for his souerane saike he set till assay Ib. 878.
My self for ȝour saike hiddir has socht a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 139.
Arthur … prays for his saik and your gentrice That [etc.] a1500 Henr. Bludy Serk 94. Id. Abbay Walk 54. c1475 Wall. viii 1726. 1490 Irland Mir. I 151/12.
This hie lord of powere … for this ladeis saik, wertu & luf, chesit hire oure all vthire a1508 Kynd Kittok 35 (Ch. & M.).
Drink with my guddame, as ȝe ga by, Anys for my saik c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 138/30. 1513 Doug. v ix 23.
Quhilk, for Eneas sayk, durst anys assay … ȝong mennys sport and play 1535 Stewart 25668. 1543–4 Corr. M. Lorraine 69.
Throwe your caus and for your sayk c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 1557. 1551 Hamilton Cat. 200.
Pyetie … done in almous deid to the puir for Gods saik a1585 Maitl. Q. 240/33.
He will ws saue, ȝea for his onlie saik 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4732.
My sone this day for ȝour saik sall not die 1567 G. Ball. 159. c1568 Lauder Minor P. i 156.
Saike 1558-66 Knox II 314.
For his maistres saik, she drank to him [in] a coupe of gold a1578 Pitsc. I 354/15.
Quho was weill ressawit … for the king of Scottlandis saik c1600 Montg. Suppl. xiv 11.
My hairt will braik, euen for hir saik 1628 Craig-Brown Selkirkshire II 195.
James Thomsone … hes purchest and learnit his craft for Godis saik amang the haill craft, as God movit their hartis(c) c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 101/33.
Than, for hir saek, I wissitt to be The grytast erle, or duk, in France Ib. 106/16.
Quhai for hir saek with speir and scheld Preiffis maest mychttelye in the feld(d) 1600-1610 Melvill 353.
A plean confessioun of the sam … a cearfull seiking of mercie for Jesus Chryst's seak [etc.] 1632 Craig-Brown Selkirkshire I 318.
The haill mistrei of my lowe quilk I interteine for your sweit seak(e) a1400 Leg. S. x 452.
For to make A kirke for the apostillis salk [ed. sakk] c1475 Wall. xi 980.
He prayit Wallace in Glaskow mur to walk The fyrst nycht off Juli for his salk(f) c1515 Williamson in Doug. (Sm.) I p. xxvii.
I haffe beyn in so gret danger and lossyt my gooddis also for your sack and in your servys(2) 1375 Barb. vii 244 (C).
Scho said, ‘All that traualand ere, For saik of ane, ar velcom here’ a1500 K. Hart 473.
For saik of thé I will no colour reid Nor lusty quhyt vpone my bodie beir c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 96/10.
For saik of hir, fairest and best [etc.](3) a1400 Leg. S. ii 596.
Fore I hafe schawit hym quhat he Mone thole for the sayk of me c1490 Irland Asl. MS 23/31.
Gettand forgifnes … for the saike luf & honour of Jhesub. a1568 Bann. MS I p. 7/28.
Help me to beir my burding Lord For I am waik And lat my strenth and chairge accord For thy names saik Ib. p. 16/26.
Sall thay haif hell for synnys saik 1622-6 Bisset II 182/30.
Quhilk God grant for his almychtie mercie saik

c. pl. In agreement with antecedent pl. possess. Also d. sing. After a pl. possess.c. 1401 Aberd. B. Rec. (SHS) 210.
For yhur sakis we made hym request that [etc.] 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1449.
All thir … on Venus seruice vaikis, In deidis of armis for thair ladyis saikis 1538 Lynd. Justing 39. 1567 G. Ball. 43.
My body is this Quhilk for ȝour saikis geuin is Ib. 181.
All the exempillis of the law Ar writtin … For our saikis a1605 Montg. Sonn. iii 14.
Lord, short the season, for the chosens saiksd. 1598 James VI Basil. Doron 102/11.
Youre peopill for quhaise saike ye man maire caire for youre self nor for youre awin

e. In phrases of adjuration, and f. In the ritual phraseology of charming, in for Goddis (Christis, Jesus, His) sake, also for God saik.e. (1) ?1438 Alex. i 392.
Do it for Goddis saik And for the gentill kingis lufe Ib. 799.
For Goddis saik This message for vs will ȝe maik? 14.. Acts I 216/2.
I require yow for Goddis sake as my lorde & my kyng [etc.] … that [etc.] a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 797.
For His saik, that saiklese wes slane, Tak nocht yone keyne knight to countir c1500 Fyve Bestes 224.
Slepe ȝe schir get wp for Cristis saik Ȝour hour is gone 1529 Rec. Earld. Orkney 58.
Cryand mychtily for God's saik on their kneis a1540 Freiris Berw. 91 (B). 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2395. 1567 G. Ball. 13.
Forgeue our sinnis and our trespas For Christis saik a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. 40/2.
O gratious God … For Jesus saik thi sone we ask at thé Ws to defend a1578 Pitsc. II 78/20.
Beseikand thame to eitt and drink witht him for Christis saike 1579 St. A. Kirk S. 438.
Craving for Goddis saik to be admittit to repentence c1580 Q. Mary in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. VIII 9.
For Gods seek tak hid to him and see him offt 1593 Warrender P. (SHS) II 173.
I crawe at God for Christs saike make ws all in ane thankfull mynd(2) 1511 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III 108.
For God saik hast the boy againf. 1623 Lanark Presb. 1.
[She] confesses … that by knielling they socht thair healthe for Godes saik … the words of the charme are, for Godes saik, for Sanct Spirit [etc.] 1629 S. Leith Rec. 16/2.
She hard his wyf seik his heall thryse for Gods saik