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

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Calk, n. Also: calke, calck, cawk, cake. [ME. calke (e.m.E. cauke), OE. calc, var. of cealc (ME. chalke).]

1. Chalk, lime; freq. as used for marking or for whitewashing.(1) 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xix.
This Ile, … wes callit Albion, … fra the quhit montanis thairof, full of calk 1540–1 Reg. Privy S. II. 620/1.
The landis of Anstruthir, with the … cole, calk, salt-pannis … thairof a1585 Polwart Flyt. 203 (T).
Athort ȝour bankis and brais. Ȝe do abound in coill and calk 1598 Crim. Trials II. i. 75.
Prenting in calmis, maid of tree, fillit vp with calk, of fals adulterat money Ib. ii. 353.(2) c1475 Wall. vii. 408.
Wallace commaunde a burges for to get Fyne cawk enench, that his der nece mycht set On ilk ȝeit [etc.] 1532 M. Works Acc. II. 52 b.
For ane lyne to the wrychtis for musering of the mulde cupill & for calk, iiij d. 1535 Stewart 2988.
To consider … the eleuatioun of the poll … With compas, calk, and als with quadrent 1539 Treas. Acc. VII. 218.
For calk to strik the treis with 1555–6 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 326.
For calk to the wrychtis to strik the lynis on the tymmer c1590 J. Stewart 86/219.
Vith cake, vith coll, And pensile scharp alway, vas schawne thair happie cace 1650 Nicoll Diary 21.
Upone his bak thair wes drawne with quhyte calk thir wordis, I am for King Charles(3) 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 63.
To David Prat, payntour, … foure stane calk 1558–9 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 286.
For sex scoir of stenis calk, price of the stane viij d. 1576 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 50 a.
For calk to put the paynted schippis away that was paynted in the kirk be ydill boyes 1579 Edinb. B. Rec. IV. 117.
Andrew Stevinsoun, thesaurer, to cause wesche the ouer and nether tolbythis … with calk 1590 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 390.
To ane man that brak calk to the paynteris 1615–6 M. Works Acc. XI. 10 b.
For tua staine of calk and sum lynes to the wrichtis 1635 Chapel Royal p. cxciv.
To Robert Days, pergeonar, for pergene of the laich chalmeris … with calk and glew 1679 Colquhoun Chart. 293.
To buy … calke and glew

2. Attrib. with dust, heuch. 1563 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 165.
The said hale nychtbouris merchanttis … ar sa fylit with the calk dust and flokis of the saidis [wollin] coittis 1675 Kelso Bailie Ct. 52 b.
James Robsone … being killed … by a cannon ston rnnning over the calk heuch