Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1804, 1861-1869, 1960
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‡LANK, n., v. Sc. usages, obs. in Eng.:
I. n. A lean creature, specif. a spent herring.Bnff. 1861 Edb. Ev. Courant (19 Sept.):
Much fewer spent fish have been got, and accordingly the price for lanks has been relatively dearer than full fish.Bnff. 1869 J. G. Bertram Harvest of Sea 247:
"Full fish" and "lanks."Uls.4 1960:
A long lank of a cratur.
II. v. To make lean or emaciated.Bch. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 24:
That saves me frae the session's glamack, Which erumnates and lanks the stamack.
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"Lank n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 7 May 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/lank>
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