▪ I. rouk, n. Sc. and north.
(raʊk, ruk)
[Var. of roke n.1, and of rook n.3]
Mist, fog.
| c 1500 Rowlis Cursing 168 in Laing Anc. Poet. Scotl. 215 Quhair thair is hunger, cald and thrist, Dirknes, mirknes, rouk and mist. a 1510 Douglas K. Hart i. 10 For wes he never ȝit with schouris schot, Nor ȝit ourrun with rouk, or ony rayne. 1659 Hay Diary (S.H.S.) 170 Thick rouk in the morning. 1808 in Jamieson. 1825 in Brockett. 1861 J. Brown Horæ Subs. Pref. p. vii, Now, the rouk (mist born of early frosts) is lying white and chill. a 1870 H. S. Riddell Poet. Wks. (1871) I. 199 Yon rouke that's floating by sae grey. |
▪ II. † rouk, v. Obs. north. and Sc.
Also 5–6 rowk.
[Perh. a special sense of rouk ruck v.1, but see also runk v.]
intr. Only in phrase rouk and roun(d), to talk privately.
| c 1440 York Myst. vii. 48 Me liste noȝt nowe to rouk nor rowne. a 1500 in Ratis Raving, etc. 103 A woman suld..with no ȝonge men rouk [v.r. rowk] na roune. 1529 Lyndesay Compl. 185 Roundand and rowkand, ane tyll vther. a 1575 Diurn. Occurr. (Bann. Cl.) 45 The Inglismen begouth to gif bakkis, and to rouk and round, sayand it was ane greit matter to brek the Scottis. |
Hence † ˈrouker, a whisperer, tale-bearer.
| 1551 Abp. Hamilton Catech. 71 A rowkar and rownar sall fyle his awin saule. Ibid., Ane rowkar and doubil toungit. |
▪ III. rouk(e
obs. or dial. ff. ruck n. and v.