Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1807-1847, 1919-1936
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HURK, v., n. Also ‡hork (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); hoork. [s.Sc. hɔrk, hurk; Bnff. hʌrk]
I. v. 1. To sit in a crouched position on one's haunches, esp. over a fire (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1957); to laze idly about (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 84; Kcb. 1957). With aboot, to move about in a sly, furtive manner (Gregor).Dmf. 1925 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. 29:
I canna hae ye sit horking aboot the fire a' day.
Hence †hurker, n., a half-hoop of iron fastened to an axle-tree inside the wheel to prevent friction with the body of a cart (Rxb. 1825 Jam.), from its bent shape; hurkie, adj., of a person: lazy, slovenly in work; of a job: troublesome, unmanageable (wm.Sc. 1868 Laird of Logan Add. 505; Kcb.3 1929). e.Lth. 1807 Foords Acct. Bk. MS. 23:
Clouts hurkers for axil and a strop for do.
2. To grub in the dirt like a pig, fig. to poke about, to rummage (‡Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., ho(o)rk; Kcb., Dmf. 1957).Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 170:
But [the muse] horking howks 'mang epita's, Sin' Davie's dead.Kcb.6 1919:
What are ye horkin' in the dirt for?e.Dmf.2 1936:
He was hoorkin' in his pocket for a penny.
II. n. The act of lounging; one who does this, esp. applied to one who sits on the seat in the most comfortable position in front of the fire (Kcb.2 c.1930, Kcb. 1957).Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
He's sittin' in the verra hork.
A prob. dim. of this is hurkie, the bib, Gadus luscus (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 84) phs. so called from its habit of lurking under stones by the shore.
[Mid.Du. hurcken, L.Ger. hurken, = v., 1.]
