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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

MAKE, n. Also mai(c)k(e); ma(a)k; ¶meke. [mek; ne.Sc. mɑk]

1. An equal, peer, like (I. and ne.Sc., Ags., Per. 1962; Ayr., Dmf. 2000s). Hence deriv. maikless, matchless, without equal (Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems I. Gl.).ne.Sc. 1714 R. Smith Poems 85:
His Maik is not in all Braemar, He's neither gaady, wood nor scar.Sc. 1717 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 20:
She has na left her Make behind her.Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 55:
Thy sonsy maik's nae ilka whare.Dmb. 1827 W. Taylor Poems 110:
Now the brag o' a' the lan', Its maik ye winna see.Bwk. 1856 G. Henderson Pop. Rhymes 46:
Ilka bannock had its make But the bannock o' Tollishill.Mry. 1865 W. H. L. Tester Poems 161:
Gin we lose you, We'll never get yer mak again.Knr. 1886 H. Haliburton Horace 7:
A bonnie lever, capp'd an' jew'ld, Perth never saw the mak' o't.e.Lth. 1895 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick 32:
There wasna his maik at waddins an' kirsenins.Sh. 1897 Shetland News (14 Aug.):
Dey wir niver a cake 'at haedna a maik.Abd. 1993:
He hidna a maak for coontin faist. Dundee 1996 Matthew Fitt Pure Radge 9:
an wi a glower o pure smeddum
blooters hit richt
back intil
the thrawn, raivelt, maikless gemm em.Sc. 1999 James Robertson The Day O Judgement 31:
His conduct ayewis be yer steerer,
His maikless life afore yer een

†2. A companion, mate, fellow; husband, wife. Poet. Phr. to be maiks, to be comrades, to stand together.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 114:
When honour'd Burchet and his Maikes are pleas'd.Abd. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 136:
Sair dung be he that bisna maiks, For Scotland's right.Sc. c.1825 Tam Lin in Child Ballads (1956) I. 347:
But hold me fast, let me not go, I'll be your earthly maick.Bnff. 1885 Banffshire Jnl. (29 Sept.) 2:
Lord Huntly . . . saw mony a meke and mither's son set fire to Auchindoun.Lnk. 1888 J. Nicholson Tibbie's Garland 157:
When oot I stots at e'en to meet the lass that noo's my maik.Abd. 1987 Sheena Blackhall in Joy Hendry Chapman 49 56:
War he a stag, she'd ben, the hummel doe ... A springtime snawdrop, derkened b' an aik
She's spukken for langsyne - yet, incomplete
His sun's her pleisure, mindin on his maik
Is pure delicht, her trimmlin sap replete.

3. An image, a likeness.Ayr. 1890 J. Service Notandums 101:
They made wee maiks oot o' clay or butter of them that had thortered them, stappin' the maiks fu o' preens and pappin' elf-shots at their heids wi' ill words and curses forbye.