Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1835-1840
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CHACK, Chak, n.4 A cart-rut (Lth. 1825 Jam.2; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., chack).s.Sc. 1835–1840 J. M. Wilson Tales of the Borders (1857) II. 161:
Ye couldna hae gane a dozen o' yards on the road without meetin wi' as mony chaks, ilk deep aneugh to tak the cart up till the ax-tree.
Hence chackie, (1) of roads: full of ruts, rough (Lth. 1825 Jam.2); (2) “applied to ground that has much gravel in it” (s.Sc. Ib.).
[Phs. from Chack, n.2, q.v. Jam. suggests it may come from same root as Eng. check, from the idea of the rut checking the motion of the carriage or plough.]
