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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CAUKER, CAWKER, Calker, Caulker, Cocker, Ca(a)cker, Caker, n.¹, v. [′kɑ(:)kər, ′kǫ:kər, ′kɔkər]

I. n. Senses 1 and 2 correspond to Eng. calkin.

1. The after parts of a horseshoe turned down and sharpened to prevent slipping, esp. on ice-covered roads (Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn., cockers, caackers); the iron point inserted in a horse-shoe to prevent slipping. Also used of the whole shoe (Kcb.¹⁰ 1938). Gen.Sc.Sc. 1820 Scott Monastery xxxiv.:
I would swear to the curve of the cawker.Sc. 1904 Archie o Cawfield in Ballads (ed. Child) No. 188 B. vii.:
“A smith, a smith!” Dickie he crys, “A smith, a smith, right speedily, To turn back the cakers of our horses feet! For it is forward we woud be.”Ork. 1929 J. T. S. Leask in Old-Lore Misc., Ork., Sh., etc. IX. ii. 79:
Dan gin da ane he waas illfain o' waas awa wi' a horse, he jeust hed tae ca' da nail intae da mark o' ane o' da cackers, an' . . . da breut wadna budge a bit fill da nail waas taen oot.Bnff. 1890 Trans. Bnffsh. Field Club 62:
Raise the cauker i' the heel T' gar the horsie trot weel.Ayr. 1789 Burns Pegasus at Wanlockhead (Cent. ed.) ii.:
To Vulcan then Apollo goes To get a frosty caulker.Kcb. 1894 S. R. Crockett Raiders xiv.:
I hear the horses' cackers ringing on the granite.

2. The iron rim or plate fixed on a wooden clog or shoe-heel. Known to Abd.²², Lnk.³ (for Lnk. and Dmf.), and Kcb. correspondents (1938).Bch.(D) 1929 J. Milne Dreams o' Buchan 37:
We herdit aff the billies wha had calkers in their sheen.sm.Sc. 1988 W. A. D. and D. Riach A Galloway Glossary :
cackers metal nailed to clogs.Gall.(D) 1901 Trotter Gall. Gossip 345:
Ye wud har'ly could wat the caukers o' yer clogs, efter half an hour o' them.Dmf. 2000s:
I know cackers as the horseshoe-shaped metal put on wooden clogs to increase wear. This was still being done in Dumfries when I was a child in the 1950s.

3. In pl.: “boots studded with large tacks” (Crm. 1911 D. Finlayson W.-L., caulkers); “a large pair of boots (used among farm servants)” (Mry.¹ 1925).

II. v. To calk (Sc. 1887 Jam.⁶, calker, cauker, s.v. calk). Found only as ppl.adj.e.Dmf. 1915 D. J. Beattie Oor Gate-en' 19:
The dunnerin' noise o' a dizen pair o' Seemon Johnstone's weel caukered clogs.