▪ I. streek, streak, v. Now Sc. and dial.
(striːk)
Pa. tense and pa. pple. streeked. Forms: 3–6 streke, 4 streck, 4–5 strek, 5 striek, streyk(e, 5–9 streik, 6–9 streek; 4–5, 9 strike, 5–7, 9 stryke; 6–7 streake, 7, 9 streak, 9 straik. pa. tense and pa. pple. 4 streked, strekyd, 4–6 strekit, -yt, etc.
[Northern ME. strēk-, corresp. to southern ME. strēch- (mod. dial. streach), a present-stem generalized from the non-geminate forms in the conjugation of OE. stręccan stretch v. (imper. stręce, 3 sing. stręceð). The northern form of this present-stem early gave rise to a pa. tense and pa. pple. strēked, but down to the 16th c. the forms descending from OE. streaht, streahte (and their variants) also continued in use in dialects which in the present tense used strēke (either exclusively or beside stretch); in this Dict. the forms straucht, streght, etc. are treated only under stretch v.
Although the word is in early and in present use almost exclusively northern, it is used in the 16–17th c. by several writers—Gascoigne, Chapman, Marston, Bp. Hall—whose language is in general free from northern characteristics.]
1. a. trans. To stretch (oneself), thrust out or extend (one's limbs), in a recumbent posture. Also in pass., to lie thus stretched. Also with adv., as down, out. Cf. stretch v. 1.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 12703 Gapyng he lay at erþe al streked. 1414 Brampton Penit. Ps. (Percy Soc.) 30 For stark, my lemys I may not streke. c 1480 Henryson Fox, Wolf & Cadger 185 Baith heid, and feit, and taill ȝe man streik out. 1576 Gascoigne Steele Gl. Ep. Ded., I have lien streaking me (like a lubber) when the sunne did shine. 1598 Marston Sco. Villanie i. iii. C 8 b, Shall Curio streake his lims on his dayes couch, In Sommer bower? 1615 Chapman Odyss. ix. 416 Along his den, amongst his cattell downe He rusht, and streakt him. a 1774 Fergusson Farmer's Ingle Poems (1845) 38 Where the guidman aft streeks him at his ease. 1815 Scott Antiq. xxi, I wad e'en streek mysell out here. |
b. intr. To fall prostrate; to lie down at full length. Cf. stretch v. 1 e.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 481 Caim..Grusnede, and strekede, and starf wið-ðan. 1598 Bp. Hall Sat. vi. i. 206 When Lucan streaked on his Marble-bed To thinke of Cæsar, and great Pompeys deed. 1728 Ramsay Monk & Miller's Wife 71 There's braw ait strae; Streek down upon 't, my lad. 1814 Scott Wav. xxx, Many an honester woman's been set upon it than streeks doon beside ony whig in the country. 1820 Clare Rural Life (ed. 3) 60 I'd just streak'd down. |
c. Of the limbs: To be stretched (out); to be extended or expanded. Of a person: To stretch oneself, stretch one's limbs. Cf. stretch v. 3 b.
| a 1400 Signs of Death 13 in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1903) 253 His feet shullen streken. 1586, 1608 [see streeking vbl. n. 1]. 1648 J. Beaumont Psyche vi. ccv, He began to streak, and nod, and yawn. 1728 Ramsay Monk & Miller's Wife 140 Mill-knaves..Whase kytes can streek out like raw plaiding. |
2. trans. To lay prostrate; to lay out (a corpse). Also with out. Cf. stretch v. 1 b.
| 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 944 Furþ, for ded, men gan hym streke. c 1585 Montgomerie Misc. P. xxxvi. 4 Suppl. Vol. 247 So daithe at last sell straik þe stark. 1787 Burns To W. Creech xi, May I be..streekit out to bleach In winter snaw. 1815 Scott Guy M. liii, I may be streekit here or night. There will be few, few at Meg's lykewake. 1858 R. Craig in J. Brown Horæ Subs., Locke & Sydenham etc. 426 A female relative..saying that she would come and streek him after he died. 1859 H. Kingsley Geoff. Hamlyn xliv, Mrs. Buckley and the women were down at Mrs. Mayford's, streaking the bodies out. 1896 Crockett Grey Man v. 35 The maid washed and streeked him. |
3. To stretch (one's limbs) in order to exercise the muscles. to streek one's shanks, wame, to take a walk, step out. Cf. stretch v. 3 c.
| 1456 Sir G. Haye Gov. Princis Wks. (S.T.S.) II. 120 Quhen thou rysis in the mornyng, thou suld..strek and rak thy membris suetely and softly and evinly. 1788 Picken Poems 65 Sae, now, I e'en maun streek my wame, An' see gin things be right at hame. Ibid. 111, I never whisky us't, nor snuff, To streek the legs o' fancy. a 1810 Tannahill Poems (1846) 60 Wha mony a mile wud streek his shanks, To ha'e a crack wi' Josie Banks. 1827 J. Wilson Noct. Ambr. Wks. 1855 I. 327 Sair gien to gauntin, and the streekin out o' ane's airms. |
4. a. To extend from the body, hold out or up, stretch forth (one's arm, hand, etc.) in order to touch, grasp, etc. Cf. stretch v. 4.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 5817, I bidd þe strek þi hand þe fra. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xi. (Simon & Judas) 258 We sal gyf þam leyf to speke, bot nane a fowt furth to streke [sed ambulare non posse]. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 69, I schal streke out my hand on him. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. i. 717 Þan þat fute vp þai streik, Þat it fra þaim þe weddyr brek. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 479/1 Streykyn owte, protendo, extendo. 1513 Douglas æneis xiii. Prol. 150 Be my richt hand strekit vp in hy. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 60 He fell doune wpoun his knies and streikit forth his craig to the sword. 1615 Chapman Odyss. xii. 148 She lurkes in midst of all her denne: and streakes From out a ghastly whirle-poole, all her necks. 1901 G. Douglas Ho. Green Shutters 311 Think of your mother..streeking out her auld hand for charity. |
| transf. a 1340 Hampole Psalter lxxix. 12 Extendit palmites suos vsque ad mare... Sho strekis hir brawnchis til the see. |
† b. To put forth, hold out, launch (a weapon, etc.). Also fig. Obs.
| 1513 Douglas æneis ii. ix. 41 With grundin lance at hand so neir furth strykit [rime-word arrekit]. c 1585 Montgomerie Misc. P. xlix. 29 Go to than, shirs, and let vs streik a sting. |
† c. Of a heavenly body: To emit, project (beams of light). Obs. Cf. stretch v. 7.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce iv. 704 Sum ar less, sum othir mair, Eftir as thair bemys strekit air, Owthir all evin, or on wry. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xviii. (Egipciane) 1319 Þe sone cane fare bemys strek. |
5. a. intr. To go or advance quickly; to go at full speed; to decamp. Also with away, off, etc. Cf. stretch v. 10. (The verb is, in this sense, now regarded as part of streak v.2 6).
| c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 1265 Doun in the pyt sche strekes. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 2085 Thane strekez the steryne, and streynys his brydylle. c 1510 Douglas K. Hart ii. 335 Than Jelosie come strekand vp the stair. c 1730 Ramsay Horace to Virgil 39 Dedalus must..upward streek. 1768, etc. [see streak v.2 6 a] |
b. transf., e.g. of the sun in its course. Of a river: To flow, stream.
| 1598 Florio, Irrigare..to streame or streake along. 1622 Drayton Poly-olb. xxii. 27 Ouze..varying her cleere forme a thousand sundry wayes, Streakes through the verdant Meads. 1642 H. More Song of Soul ii. i. ii. 30 So doth the gentle warmth of solar heat Eas'ly awake the centre seminall, That makes it softly streak on its own seat, And fairly forward force its life internall. 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. I. 175 How swift the sun streaks down the western sky. |
c. To walk along, stroll, saunter (E.D.D.).
| 1819 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd (1827) 10 While younksters, by the sea-side streikin', Gaed paidlin' in without a breik on. |
† d. trans. ? To urge on (an animal), cause to go quickly. Obs. rare.
| c 1500 Lancelot 3082 His hors he strekith our the larg gren. |
† 6. a. intr. To extend or reach (in a specified direction or for a specified distance). Obs. Cf. stretch v. 13.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xviii. 130 Apon the cawse That wes betuix thame and the toune, That strekit lang in a ran⁓doune. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints ix. (Berthol.) 220, & of his hewyd þe lochtris of hare til his fete strekand ware. 1388 in Sir J. H. Ramsay Bamff Charters (1915) 22 Begynand on the west part of the Lowssy law, strekand west by the land of Tyny. a 1400–50 Wars Alex. 5063 Betwene þa styes..þat strekis þurȝe þe mountis. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. i. 553 Fra north on south þe streme it strekis In till þe Red Seye quhill it reikis. 1513 Douglas æneis vi. v. 1 Fra thine strekis the way profound anon Deip onto hellis flude of Acheron. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 74 All the landis that la in the south Fra Forth streikand recht on to Eskis mouth. 1594 Blundevil Exerc., Cosmogr. ii. xix. (1597) 199 A perpendicular shadow, which streeketh right downe from head to foote. 1602 Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 476/1 Begynnand at the Hammer-pule-fute, and strykand langis the watersyde of Air to [etc.]. c 1680 J. Morisone in W. Macfarlane Geogr. Collect. (S.H.S.) II. 211 Upon the west syde of the Countrie there are no harbouring for shipps except the Loch of Carluvay, streeking in almost in the middest of the countrie. |
b. fig. Obs.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xvii. 929 Micht he haf lifit quhill he had beyne Of perfit elde, withouten weyne, His renoune suld haf strekit fer. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxvii. (Machor) 1120 Ne manis wit ma strek þartill, to consawe it thru kindly skill. c 1400 Apol. Loll. 61 Boþ of lawe of kind, and of law writun, and law of grace, he is þe first begining..and to wam al laws strekyn. |
7. a. trans. To stretch out, extend (a rope, etc.); † to pitch (a tent). Cf. stretch v. 12 b, c.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter ciii. 3 Extendens celum sicut pellem..Strekand heuen as a skyn. Ibid. cxxxix. 6 Funes extenderunt in laqueum, strengis þai strekid in snare. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 1229 Furthe stepes that steryne, and strekez his tentis One a strenghe by a streme. |
† b. To stretch on a rack or on a cross. Obs. Cf. stretch v. 17.
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints iii. (Andrew) 688 Þane one þe croice but howne þai strekyt and band hym sone with cordis. Ibid. xlii. (Agatha) 168 He gert strek hire in a frame, & torment hir in syndry vyse. |
c. To pull (a boot) on one's leg.
| 1815 Scott Guy M. xi, He had as gude a pair o' boots as a man need streik on his legs. |
d. to streek a tow, also intr. to streek in a halter: to be hanged, ‘swing’. Cf. stretch v. 18 a, c.
| 1796 J. Lauderdale Poems 80 (E.D.D.) May I in a halter streek If I hae Latin, French, or Greek. 1895 Crockett Men of Moss Hags ii. 22 But ye shall all streek a tow for this. |
8. To cause to reach across a space. In quot. with over. Cf. stretch v. 12 a.
| 1787 Burns Brigs of Ayr 92 Ance ye were streekit owre frae bank to bank! |
9. To put (an implement) in action. to streek the plew: to draw the first furrow after harvest.
| c 1480, 1555 [see streeking vbl. n. 2]. 1577 Grange Golden Aphrod. I iij b, I..thinke dame Pallas streaked mine oare as well in this cace, as did Vlisses preuaile thorow hyr counsell against the Syrenes. 1790 D. Morison Poems 109 (Jam.) Ae day last week..She happ'd by chance to streek the wheel. Ibid. 131 Gae streek the rake. |
▪ II. streek(e
obs. ff. streak, strick, strike.