Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
HECK, v.3 Also hekk; haik. To lay hold of, grasp, grab (Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 152, 1929 Marw.; I.Sc. 1956).Sh. 1898 Shetland News (3 Sept.):
Shü wid hae gaun haikin' as muckle hay i' da bul o' a maishie as ye wid fling in a kishie for a hen tae lae in.Ork. 1911 Old-Lore Misc. IV. iv. 184:
Hid was aince at Jock tuk da herdie-boy, hekked him fae whar he was sittan' ahaint da back o' tha fire.
Ppl.adjs. hecked, close, hand-to-hand, linked closely together, at grips (Ork. 1956); heckan, “nervous, fussy, apt to seize prematurely” (Ork. 1902 E.D.D.), hecken, “shivering, looking cold and shivery” (Ork. 1929 Marw., Ork. 1956), quasi cramped or gripped with cold.Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 88:
But the climax came at the well of Gimulgo, where the men set down the coffin, stripped off their coats, “and gaed in a heckèd teullyo” (a real hand-to-hand fight), the men of one district pitted against those of the other.Ork. 1929 Marw.:
Linked tightly together; chiefly in phr. “in a hecked battle,” i.e. fighting at close quarters.
