Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
GLEEK, v., n. [gli:k]
I. v. †1. To jeer, jibe (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 85, 1845 T. Brown Dict.); to dally teasingly. Obs. in liter. Eng. since 17th c. but still found in Yks. dial.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 109:
Auld folks, that scarce could girn or gape, At Papistry did gleek and jaip.Bnff. 1853 Bnffsh. Jnl. (11 May):
The th[r]umy-tailed weaver, He'll gleek and glaik wi' ilka dame.
2. To look (Tyr. 1931 North. Whig (7 Dec.) 9; Uls.4 1954), to peep.Abd. 1911 Kenilworth Mag. (Oct.) 86:
It hod itsel' in a holie in the feal-dyke an' gleeked oot whan the smith gaed awa'.Tyr. 1929 “M. Mulcaghey” Ballymulcaghey 88:
He wud run roun' till the back of the crowd an' gleek out.
II. n. †1. A gibe.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 22:
Blasphemin' with a valiant zeal Twa ne'er-do-weels, the Paip and deil, Wi' gleeks at Guise and Mary.
2. A glance, a peep. Cf. Glaik, n., 6.Tyr. 1929 “M. Mulcaghey” Ballymulcaghey 16:
I tuck a gleek out av the kitchen windy.
