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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GLAIKS, n. pl. Also glaikes, glakes, †glacks. [gle:ks]

‡1. (1) “A lever attached to a churn-staff, by use of which the churning is less laborious” (Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl., 1901 J. W. Byers in North. Whig, glakes; Uls.³ 1930); “long shafts attached to a beam in the ceiling, used in churning” (Dwn. 1931 North. Whig (2 Dec.) 5, glaikes), “it . . . has one projecting end to attach to the churn-staff, and another to act as lever” (Ant. 1892 Ballymena Obs.).Kcb. 1814 J. Train Mountain Muse 40:
A thatching pin first pass'd we see . . . With platter, glaiks, and quern mill.Uls. 1844 W. Carleton Traits Peasantry II. 277:
Hung from the ceiling were the glaiks, a machine for churning.Dwn. 1951 E. E. Evans Mourne Country 182:
One sometimes sees various spring devices fitted to the dasher of the upright churn, such as the large “spring-pole” or glaiks.

(2) In sing.: the process of churning (Ant. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl., glake).

‡2. An instrument for twisting straw into ropes (Ayr. 1912 D. McNaught Kilmaurs 297; Gall. 1920 M. Grant W.-L.; Ayr.⁹ 1954); see also quot.Uls.³ 1930:
The glaiks, an instrument for twisting fishing lines, was not a thraehook, but a combination of three thraehooks which could be manipulated as one . . . The glaiks had three holes in the board instead of one, and into these were placed the ends of three thrawhooks and the three hooks served to twist three strands into one.

†3. ? A drawbar. But phs. a mistake for flacks. See Flake, n.¹ 1.Fif. 1734 E. Henderson Ann. Dunfermline (1879) 429:
The council, by petition from the inhabitants of the Nethertown, craving liberty to open the wicket at the nethergate of the Abbey Park for their convenience was granted, on the condition that they should have a sufficient door on it or glacks and uphold it.