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

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First published 1990 (DOST Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Raik, Rayk, v. Also: raike; reik; (rakk-). [ME and e.m.E. raike(n (Ancr. R.), ON reika v. walk about, stroll, wander.Cf. Rake v.¹, with which formally, and in later use freq. semantically, this verb may have fallen together, as in e.m.E.]Some of the quots. given below may properly belong to Rake v.¹

1. intr. Of persons: To go, make one's way; to proceed; to journey or travel.With and without const.Also to raik on, lit. and fig.(1) 1375 Barb. xiii 524 (E).
Schyr Marmeduk … raykyt till the king all rycht c1450-2 Howlat 89 (B).
The howlate … Raikit vnder the ryce To the pacok Ib. 443.
The roy Robert the Bruce to raik he avowit … to the haly graue Ib. 10. a1500 Rauf C. 549.
Bot gif thow raik out of my renk, full raith sall thow rew a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 371.
The renkis raithly can raik into the round hald Ib. 613.
Schir Rannald to his riche steid raikit full right a1500 Sir Eger 2053.
He … Came raiking to me, where I stood c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 524 (M).
Than rais thir royale rosis in thair riche wedis And raikit hame to thair rest 1535 Stewart 5333.
He … But ony rest syne raikit on his wa, To king of Pechtis Ib. 43789.
The men of weir … In gude array come raikand fra the schoir a1568 Scott ii 82. 1609 Crim. Trials III 46.
Loip on vpoun ȝour horse, and raik fordwart to Lytill Lochwod, quhill I owirtak ȝow Ib. 47.
The lard, upoun that cry, raikit fordvart from the Lord Maxvell(b) a1500 Sir Eger 474.
Sir Grahame about his bed reiked(2) 1513 Doug. iv ii 20.
Othir quhilis wald scho [Dido] raik on raw Or pays tofor the altaris a1568 Bann. MS 65b/34.
The rankest theif … Dar … to the tolbuth sone ascend Syne with the lordis to raik and roun a1568 Scott xx 45.
Thow wald nocht rest bot raik And lair thé in the myre(3) 1535 Stewart 8082.
Thai … On to the Romanis raikit hes full richt Ib. 31581.
The Pechtis … to thair tentis raikit on full richtfig. 1535 Stewart 13820.
Syne euerie man hes raikit on full richt, In peice and rest syne leuit mony da

b. To wander or roam. 1535 Stewart 51637.
Of mes and matenis he had neuir na vse, Bot raikand ay about fra toun to toun 1596 Dalr. I 349/11.
He Scotland … invades in sik a maner that frilie … he raikis throuch the hail realme

c. To raik in (in a rout), to go violently or aggressively; to charge into. 1535 Stewart 23000.
[They] raikit in syne in the thikest rout

2. Of animals: a. To move about over pasturage, etc., to wander, to roam. a1500 Henr. Robene & M. 12.
I … keipis my scheip vndir ȝone wid, Lo quhair thay raik on raw 1513 Doug. vii viii 35.
Our all the woddis wald he [a hart] raik ilk day 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 643.

b. To stray in search of pasturage.Also in the phr. to be raikit away.(1) 1577 Edinb. Test. VI 60b.
Five auld scheip & tua hoggis that vsis to raik 1661 Melrose Reg. Rec. I 343.
Ane hogge … raikeing to the grund of Craikfuird … , the said John refuses to delyver the same(2) 1600 Crim. Trials II 242.
Twa of his houndis that ar raikit away 1633 Monteith Stewartry Ct. 12 Aug.
Ane gray naig … being raikit or stowne away

3. Of things: To move; to go or pass; to flow; to move aimlessly. Also fig. 1375 Barb. iii 627.
Thar schip … Raykyt slidand throw the se c1420 Wynt. i 1040.
Fra tha capylis … The kynd … swa stark is off flaweoure That [it] raykys [C. rakkis] the revar our; And in thai merys entre tais c1420 Wynt. viii 3190 (W).
Our all the land The word raikit [C., R. ran] fra hand to hand 1590–1 Cal. Sc. P. X 466.
The samyn blude That raikit over the ruithful rude 1616 Shetland Sheriff Ct. MS 34.
That within few dayis the said Ola his bones sould be raiking about the bankis

4. tr. With cognate obj.: To take (one's, or the, way). c1420 Wynt. v 3477.
The dede body ras … And raykyt off the kyrk hys way 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9497.
He … To the empreour the hie way raikit richt