Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Kinke, n. [Also in the mod. north. Eng. and Sc. dial.; f. kink v., OE. cincian, in north. ME. (14th c.– ) as kinc, kynke, = to choke with laughter, in mod. north. Eng. and Sc. dial. (late 17th c.– ) also = to gasp convulsively or choke with coughing: cf. also Kinkhoste,n.] A convulsive fit or spasm of coughing. — 1653 Hope Diary 159.
My sister Cardros death … , takeing a kinke of a cough after supper [she] went away with it