Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BOOK, v. Same as Buik, v.¹, 2, q.v. [buk]

1. To register a couple in the session records. Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr Duguid 203:
We were born in ae oor, bookit in ae oor, cried in ae oor, and married in ae oor.

vbl.n. booking. (1) the giving in of names for the proclamation of banns; (2) the festivity in connection with this. Cf. buikin' nicht s.v. Buik, v.¹, 2. Abd. quot.(1) Mry. 1757 Session Papers. Fowler v. Smith (20 June) 6:
The booking or contracting with the Charger was about the latter End of April before her Marriage. Ayr. 1826 Galt Last of the Lairds xxx.:
We can arrange a' about the booking and the buying o' your bridal braws.(2) Ayr. 1896 J. Lamb Ann. Ayrsh. Par. 159:
The schoolhouse . . . had been much abased at bookings and penny weddings. attrib.Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. Ork. Par. (1922) 53:
The booking-night was so named because on that night the names of the couple were entered in the session-clerk's books.

2. Of a shaley stone: to split up into its strata from weathering, from its similarity to a closed book in which the individual pages are visible, gen. in vbl.n. bookin, pa.p. bookit (Clc. 1956).