▪ I. slake, n.1
(sleɪk)
Also 4 slak.
[f. slake v.1]
1. The act of slacking or slackening in some respect; an instance of this.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 23618 Sua sal þe wreches..for þair sak, Be stad in pine wit-vten slak. 16.. Robin of Portingale in Percy's Folio MS., Ball. & Rom. I. 238 At the wakening of your first sleepe your sorrowes will haue a slake. 1787 W. H. Marshall E. Norfolk (1795) II. 388 ‘To be at slake,’ to be at leisure. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. iii. iii, Such side-questions..as, in the heat of the main-battle, he..could not get answered; these also he takes up, at the first slake. 1865 ― Fredk. Gt. xiv. iii. V. 184 Some slake occurring..in that interminable Honsbruck Lawsuit. |
2. A source or cause of slaking. rare—1.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 24592 His lijk ful lath was þe to þarn, Þat slak was o þi site. |
▪ II. slake, n.2 Sc. and north. dial.
(sleɪk)
Also Sc. 5 slak, 7, 9 slaik.
[Obscurely related to the synonymous slawk and sloke.]
A name given to several species of Algæ, including marine and edible kinds as Ulva and Porphyra, and also the freshwater sorts, as Enteromorpha and Conferva.
| c 1475 Henryson Poems (S.T.S.) III. 151 Ane sleiffull of slak, þat growis in the sluss. 1623 Orkney Witch Trial in Dalyell Darker Superst. Scotl. (1834) 389 And giving him a ‘cogfull of slaik’ to be eat raw on a cake, he recovered daily. 1710 Ruddiman Gloss. Douglas' æneis s.v. Slike, Scot. Bor. call a kind of Sea-weed, very soft and slippery, Slake, which they also eat. 1793 Statist. Acc. Scotl. VII. 201 The green slake which grows in the river. 1853 G. Johnston Terra Lindisfarnensis I. Bot. E. Borders 287 The Enteromorphæ fill the bed of the lower part of the Tweed during the summer, and are well known to our fishermen under the name of Slake. 1901 Trans. Stirling Nat. Hist. Soc. 68 The Bannock at this point was filled with slake, and so deep that none could ride over it. |
▪ III. slake, n.3 Chiefly north. dial.
(sleɪk)
[? Related to slike n.]
1. Mud, slime.
| c 1800 Rep. Agric. Surv., Cumb. 30 (Britten), Slake or mud left by the tide. 1883 Pall Mall G. 10 Nov. 4/1 At low tide a large area of river slake is left exposed on each side to the influences of the weather. |
2. A stretch of muddy ground left exposed by the tide; a mud-flat.
| 1828 G. Young Geol. Surv. Yorks. Coast 39 The morass at Hartlepool is evidently a continuation of the slake. 1868 Maidment Sc. Pasquils 4 note, The slakes are waste lands bordering on the sea shore, which are covered with water when the tide comes in. 1889 Athenæum 16 Mar. 348/3 Adventures..in a gunning punt along the ‘slakes’ off Holy Island. |
▪ IV. † slake, n.4 Obs.
[Of obscure origin.]
A flake.
| a 1608 Dee Relat. Spirits i. (1659) 357 They knock their wedges..and so break off great Slakes of Stone, like Slate. 1610 W. Folkingham Art of Survey i. x. 32 Columbine or Pidgeon Marle lies in lumpes and cloddes, but with Sunne and Frost, it resolues and cleaues into thinne slakes or flakes. 1721 Post-master 9 June 264 The Slakes of Fire were wafted by a strong Wind upon the Roofs of the Houses. |
▪ V. slake, n.5 Sc. and north. dial.
(sleɪk)
[f. slake v.2]
A splashy daub; a smear; a lick, wipe, soft stroke, etc.
| 1721 Kelly Sc. Prov. 396 I'll give you a Gob Slake. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xvii, Maybe a touch o' a blackit cork, or a slake o' paint. 1829 Blackw. Mag. XXVI. 144 Wafered to the pane with three wafers of divers colours, and a slake of starch. 1855 Atkinson Whitby Gloss., A Slake, a mere wipe, not a thorough cleansing. ‘A lick and a slake’,..as a slut gets over certain of her household duties. |
▪ VI. slake
obs. variant of slack n.1
▪ VII. † slake, a. Obs.
[var. of slack a., representing OE. disyllabic forms.]
1. Loose, relaxed; not tight. = slack a. 7.
| 13.. K. Alis. 1251 (Laud MS.), Þe stedes rennen wiþ slake bridlen. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. met. i. (1868) 4 Þe slake skyn trembleþ vpon myn emty body. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 221 Flesshe in tempure neshe, noght slake, tokenyth good vndyrstondynge. a 1586 Sidney Astr. & Stella xxviii, The raines of Loue I loue, though neuer slake. 1643 Steer tr. Exp. Chyrurg. xv. 60 It sheweth holes, by whose benefit the ring is made straight, or slake, according as need requireth. |
2. Slack, remiss. rare—1.
| 1538 Starkey England ii. iii. 214 For my parte, I wyl neuer be slake in thys behalfe. |
3. slake water, = slack-water.
| 1580 Burrough in Hakluyt Voy. (1598) I. 436 Diligently note the time of..the slake or still water of full sea. 1635 in Foxe North-west Fox 124 It was then slake-water. 1793 R. Mylne Rep. Thames 34 From the strong current on the Bucks side, to the slake water on the Berks side. |
▪ VIII. slake, v.1
(sleɪk)
Forms: 1 sleac-, slacian, 3 slakien, 5 slakeen (?); 2–3 slakie (3 scl-), 3– slake (5 scl-), 4 slak; Sc. 5–7 slaik (5 slalk, 6 sclaik), 6 slaike.
[OE. sleac-, slacian, f. slæc slack a. Cf. MDu. and Du. slaken to make slack, relax, diminish, etc., mod.Icel. slaka to give way, Norw. slaka to slacken. OE. had also the compound aslacian: see aslake v.]
I. intr.
† 1. Of persons: To diminish the intensity of one's efforts; to become less energetic or eager; also, to undergo or manifest a weakening or decrease in some specified respect. Obs.
In some cases the sense approaches that of ‘cease’.
| c 1000 ælfric Exod. xvii. 11 Ᵹif he þonne lithwon slacode, þonne hæfde Amalech siᵹe. a 1310 in Wright Lyric P. xvi. 54 For hire love in slep y slake, For hire love al nyht ich wake. c 1400 tr. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh. 110 If þou fynde hem yn hem slakand or failland, comforte here hertes. a 1400–50 Alexander 3050 Als sone as þe son vp soȝt þe slaȝtere begynnes, And so to þe son-sett slakid þai neuire. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. II. 214 Quhen the peple, throuch the dinn and cry tha maid, slaiket nocht lytle. |
† b. Const. to with inf. Obs.
| a 1225 Leg. Kath. 2136 Swa þat ich slakie to ofseruin heouenriche. c 1250 Moral Ode 38 in O.E. Misc. 59 Ne scholde nomon don a virst ne slakien wel to donne. 13.. Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. xxi. 112 Ȝif me grace from synne to fle, And him to loue let me neuer slake. c 1440 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 206 Alas! for to sorow how shuld I slake. |
† c. Const. of something. Obs.
| c 1375 Cursor M. 13054 (Fairf.), Bot þou of suche dedis slake, þou wil noȝt dey wiȝ-outen wrak. c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 649 They kan nat stynte of hire entencion,..They wol nat of that firste purpos slake. c 1470 Henry Wallace v. 656 Prefand giff he mycht off that languor slalk [= slaik]. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 398 The Inglischemen..slaikit of thair curage. 1621 in Gude & Godlie Ball. App. i. 232, I will ȝow exhort..To slaik of ȝour sleuth. |
† d. To fall away from one; to depart. Obs.—1
| c 1400 Sir Cleges 80 (W.), His men..Gan slake awaye on euery syde; With hym there wold dwell non. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. xi. 248 Wyne dreggis wole make hem [ants] thennes slake. |
2. † a. To become relaxed, slack, or loose. Obs.
| c 1000 ælfric Exod. xvii. 12 Aaron and Ur underwriðedon Moises handa..and hiᵹ ne slacedon nan þing syððan. c 1220 Bestiary 126 [The serpent] fasteð til his fel him slakeð. c 1420 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1244 The bende of your bowe Begynneth to slake. 1599 Sir J. Davies Immort. of Soul iii. vii, When the Body's strongest Sinews slake. |
b. Of lime: To become hydrated or slacked.
| 1766 Compl. Farmer s.v. Lucern, The chalk slakes, when thaws and rains come on. 1857 Miller Elem. Chem., Org. iii. §1. 122 The lime gradually slakes and falls to powder. 1895 Bloxam's Chem. 332 Air-slaked lime has slaked by simple exposure to air. |
3. To decrease in force or intensity; to become less violent, oppressive, or painful; to abate, moderate. Now rare.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 3772 Sco send him son in-til aran,..Þar to suiorn..Til þat his broþer wreth suld slake. a 1352 Minot Poems v. 4 Wald he salue vs sone, mi sorow suld slake. a 1400 Rom. Rose 3108 In me fyve woundes dide he make, The soore of whiche shalle nevere slake. c 1440 Generydes 4190 Atte last the wynde beganne to slake. 1553 in Hakluyt Voy. I. 248 The winter..doth still..increase by a perpetuitie of cold: neither doth that colde slake, until [etc.]. 1581 W. Stafford Exam. Compl. iii. (1876) 93 That the indignation against them shortly will slake of it selfe. c 1605 ? Rowley Birth of Merlin i. ii, No man leaves physic when his sickness slakes. 1648 J. Beaumont Psyche vi. xvii, Custom..can make The dint and edge of any strangeness slake. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. iv. vi, It tolled One when the firing began; and is now pointing towards Five, and still the firing slakes not. |
b. Of fire: To burn less strongly; to die down, die away, go out. Also fig.
| c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 6224 Þe synful..sal wende Until helle fire, þat never sal slake. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) II. 23 Þere þe fuyre slakeþ, it chaungeth into stony clottes. a 1400 Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. xxxiii. 14 Poul sayh bi-foren helle ȝates Brennynge tres þat neuer slakes. 1603 Drayton Odes i. 93 'Tis possible to clyme, To kindle, or to slake, Although in Skelton's Ryme. 1613 Browne Brit. Past. i. i, She perceiving that his flame did slake [etc.]. 1648 Herrick Hesper., ‘'Tis not ev'ry day’ 10 Look how next the holy fier, Either slakes or doth retire. |
† 4. To become weaker or fainter; to lessen, fall off. Obs.
| c 1315 Shoreham i. 806 Ȝef mannes deuocioun slakeþ..By⁓þenche hym Of þe uertue þat þer hys. a 1400 Hymns to Virgin 71 Þi siȝte and heeryng bigynneþ to slake. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xviii. i. 726, I see and fele dayly that thy loue begynneth to slake. 1573 Tusser Husb. (1878) 6 When ioie gan slake, then made I change. 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 114/2 When we see the honour of God slake, or bee in daunger to be darkened. 1614 Dyke Myst. Selfe-Deceiving, His forwardnesse slaked. |
† b. To come to an end; to cease. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 12886 Þe ald testament hir-wit nu slakes, And sua þe neu bigining takes. Ibid. 23794 Als wreches [we] wid vr will forsakis Þat selines þat neuer slakis. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 244 Al stouned at his steuen, & stonstil seten,..As al were slypped vpon slepe, so slaked hor lotez in hyȝe. |
† 5. To become or grow less in number, quantity, or volume; to fall or subside. Obs.
| c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 2595 Now is þe þridde day a-gon þat our vitaile gunne to slake. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) I. 411 They leueþ in more pees, By cause of hir riches. For hir catel schulde slake, And þey vseþ ofte wrake. 1577 Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. 421 This misery..fell and slaked by a litle and litle, vntill at length all was ended. 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 1677 No floud by raining slaketh. 1601 Holland Pliny I. 42 The tides swell, and anon again..they slake. 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1614) 580 Nilus slaking, the Windes then blowing,..the Winter approaching. |
II. trans.
† 6. To make slack or loose; to lessen the tension of; to allow to become slack or relaxed. Obs.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 51 Mon sunfulle þet lið in heuie sunne and þurh soðe scrift his sunbendes nule slakien. c 1275 Lay. 21922 Louerd Arthur þe king slake oure bendes. a 1300 Cursor M. 6421 Quils moyses heild vp his hend..Had godds folk þe hale maistri; Bot if he þam slaked ani sith, Sir amalech wan als suith. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 341 The See was plein, Hem nedeth noght a Riff to slake. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode iv. xxviii. (1869) 190 But summe of þe hoopes weren slaked for defaute of oseres. 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. i. xxiv. 77 Syn cam a rayne that slaked the cordes of theyre bowes. 1513 Douglas æneid x. v. 34 Takyll thy schippis, and thy schetis sclaik. 1581 G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. (1586) iii. 157 b, The father must somewhat slake the bridle hand, and giue her more libertie. |
† b. To let or set loose; to set free, release. Obs.
| 13.. Evang. Nicod. 518 in Herrig Archiv LIII. 401 At pasch of Iewes þe custom was Ane of preson to slake. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iii. metr. ii. (1868) 68 Þei [lions]..slaken hir nekkes from hir cheins vnbounden. |
† c. To pour (on something). Obs. rare.
| c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. xii. 540 Of aysel oon emyne on hit they slake. Ibid. 582 Aysel theron and hony wol they slake. [L. superfundere.] |
d. To disintegrate or slack (lime).
| 1662 Gerbier Principles 20 Did not make use of their Lime at the same time it was slakt. 1823 P. Nicholson Pract. Builder 331 Let the lime be slaked, by plunging it into a butt filled with soft-water. 1837 J. T. Smith tr. Vicat's Mortars 198 The Lyonese builders..slake the lime by aspersion. |
† 7. To make smaller or less in amount or size; to reduce, diminish, lessen. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 26269 Ai quen nede es for to slak [v.r. slake] þe sett penance. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (Verse) 2343 Ȝit sall þai not þam-self it [sc. their task] slake, Bot suffer it for godes sake. a 1425 tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula, etc. 49 Þe 3 day, forsoþ, remeuyng þe emplatstre, þe bolnyng in party was slaked. 1530 H. Rhodes Bk. Nurture 618 in Babees Bk., If that thou spent past thy degree, thy stock thou soone shalt slake. 1578 Lyte Dodoens 749 Taken in the same maner they slake the bellyes of suche as have the dropsie. 1612 Woodall Surgeon's Mate Wks. (1653) 80 Wheat bran..doth slake and swage the hard swellings. |
8. To render less acute or painful; to abate, mitigate, or assuage. Now rare.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 9641 Þat sua þou wald his sorus slak, Þat he moght dom be-for þe tak. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 11 He fonde up also halsynge coniuresouns for to slake wiþ siknesse. a 1400 Stockholm Med. MS. i. 84 in Anglia XVIII. 297 Þis drinke xal..slakyn þe terys euerychon. c 1440 Alph. Tales 212 His brethir þoght þai wuld somwhat slake his truble. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xxvii. (Percy) 120 Dame Venus..all thy payne may sone redresse and slake. 1578 Lyte Dodoens 317 The roote..slaketh the gryping paynes of the belly. 1682 N. O. Boileau's Lutrin ii. 57 Hope of Lawful gain might slake my Anguish. 1821 Shelley Adonais 192 Wake thou,..and slake..A wound more fierce than his, with tears and sighs. |
† b. To relieve (one) from or of sorrow, etc.; to comfort. Obs.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter xciii. 13 Þat þou slake him fra daies ille. c 1330 King of Tars 733 That ilke lord ful of miht, Of serwe he may me slake. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxxix. (Cosme & D.) 254 Prayand þame for goddis sake hyme of his sorou for to slake. 14.. Sir Beues 711 So him solaste [v.r. slaked] þat mai, Þat al is care wente awai. 1570 Satir. Poems Reform. xxiii. 28 Thow knawis thy self gif he was diligent To get thy peax, and slaik the of that weir. a 1585 Polwart Flyting w. Montgomerie 230, I want wares And salues, to slake thee of thy saires. |
† 9. To make less vehement, violent, or intense; to diminish the force or fury of. Obs.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter lxxxviii. 10 Stiringe of his stremes slakes þou. c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 746 And eek the pope, rancour for to slake, Consenteth it. c 1470 Henry Wallace vii. 672 He thocht to slaik Makfadȝanys hie curage. 15.. in Q. Eliz. Acad., etc. 45 Þat schall sclake hym of hys mode. 1600 Hakluyt Voy. (1810) III. 501 Who of his great goodnesse..vouchsafed a little to slake the tempest. 1628 Wither Brit. Rememb. i. 453 She often makes Our peace with God, and his displeasure slakes. 1664 H. More Myst. Iniq. vii. 126 The just chastisements of their offended Consciences being slaked. |
b. To allow to diminish in vehemence or vigour; to moderate (one's anger, etc.). Now rare.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 18357 Þou þat þi wreth sua suetli slakes, And fra þi folk þair sinnes takes. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 96 Hire oghte of mercy forto slake Hire daunger. a 1400 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) i. xxxviii. (1859) 42 To this she hath goodly agreed hyr selue, slakyng hyr ryghtwys rygour. 1591 Lyly Endym. i. ii, He shall slake that loue which he now voweth to Cynthia. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. II. 356 The Quene for her humanitie and gentlenes, slaiket her seueritie. 1664 H. More Myst. Iniq. Apol. 558 If there be any that would slake their zeal in this point. 1887 Morris Odyss. i. 73 But Poseidon Girdler of Earth his anger will not slake. |
10. To appease, allay, or satisfy (desire, thirst, † hunger).
Said either of the person or of the means.
| (a) c 1325 Metr. Hom. 80 He umthoght him..How he might this ilk nonne fange To slake his lust that was so strange. 1538 Bale God's Promises 1, Plages of coreccyon Most grevouse and sharpe, hys wanton lustes to slake. 1594 Shakes. Lucr. 425 His rage of lust by gazing qualified; Slakt, not supprest. 1608 Hieron Wks. I. 722 Crucifie my lustes,..slake and quench in me this vnlawfull heate. 1817 Shelley Rev. Islam iv. iv, In life and truth, Might not my heart its cravings ever slake? 1839–52 Bailey Festus 188 Each, apart, too soon will tire; Altogether slake desire. 1894 S. Weyman Lady Rotha iv, All who could not get into the house to slake their curiosity or anger. |
| (b) c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iii. pr. ii. (1868) 71 Ryche men han y-nouȝ wher wiþ þei may staunchen her hunger, and slaken her þrest. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 366 May no drynke me moiste ne my thruste slake. 1615 Chapman Odyss. xi. 796 Tormented Tantalus..could not slake His burning thirst. 1713 Addison Cato i. iv, Amidst the running stream he slakes his thirst. 1784 Cowper Task ii. 509 A crystal draught Pure from the lees, which often more enhanc'd The thirst than slak'd it. 1869 Phillips Vesuv. viii. 213 Here wild boars and deer slake their thirst in small lakes. 1876 Gladstone Homeric Synchr. 28 Fine springs..slaked the thirst of the Explorer's workmen during the excavations. |
| (c) c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 2006 Ariadne, In to the bestis throte he shal hem [i.e. balls] caste To slake his hungir. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 1820 Þar with þair hungyr forto slake. 1568 Jacob & Esau ii. ii, Give me somewhat, wherwith to slake mine honger. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. i. 52 They slaked had the feruent heat Of appetite with meates of euery sort. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. 492 Men may..eat to slake hunger and content nature. |
11. To quench or extinguish (fire); to cause to burn less strongly. Also in fig. contexts.
| c 1566 Merie Tales of Skelton in S.'s Wks. (1843) I. p. lxvii, The fire being quickly slaked, Skelton cam in with his frendes. 1611 Bible 2 Esdr. v. 8 The fire shalbe oft..[marg. slaked] againe. 1657 J. Watts Vind. Ch. Eng. 125, I hope I have slaked your flame, and stopt your mouth with a..better ordinance. a 1800 Pegge Suppl. Grose s.v., To slake a fire is to put on small coals, that it may not burn too fast. 1842 S. Lover Handy Andy xxvi, ‘Only for two days,’ said Charlotte, trying to slake the flame she had raised. 1868 Milman St. Paul's vii. 144 By mitigating..the pains of inevitable Purgatory, slaking the penal fires [etc.]. |
12. To cool or refresh by means of water or other fluid. Also fig.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 311 He boorded soo for kyng William hadde i-slaked his greet wombe wiþ a drynke þat he hadde i-dronke. 1527 Andrew Brunswyke's Distyll. Waters A ij, Sorell water..slaketh all hote thynges bothe within the body and without. 1592 Kyd Sp. Trag. i. i, Ere Sol had..slakte his smoaking charriot in her floud. 1749 Smollett Regicide ii. vii, In the blood that warms Thine heart, perfidious, I will slake mine ire! 1822 Lamb Elia ii. Conf. Drunkard, When a draught from the next clear spring could slake any heats which summer suns..had power to stir up in the blood. 1850 Whittier All's Well, The clouds, which rise with thunder, slake Our thirsty souls with rain. 1871 L. Stephen Playgr. Eur. (1894) x. 235, I reached a little patch of snow, and managed to slake my parched lips. |
| refl. 1873 Dixon Two Queens xxi. v. IV. 152 The great passion of the age began to slake itself with blood. |
b. To moisten, wet, soak. (Cf. 6 d.)
| 1810 Scott Lady of L. ii. xiv, A mass of ashes slaked with blood. 1820 ― Monast. xxxv, Oatmeal slaked with cold water. 1824 L. M. Hawkins Annaline III. 35 The rebels retraced their steps, leaving this fertile province slaked in blood and ashes. |
† 13. To render less active or vigorous. Obs.
| 1549 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Phil. II. 9 Howbeit your good wil was not slaked,..yet you wanted oportunitie to sende the thinges. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 121 James Earle of Douglas..past fordwart with displayit banner to slaike the kingis airmie lyand at the seige of Abercorne. 1608 Shakes. Per. iii. Prol. 1 Now sleep yslaked hath the rout. |
† b. To remit or slacken (exertion, etc.). Obs.
| 1586 Drake in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. II. 304 We then slaked no possyble travel or dyllygence. 1594 R. Carew Tasso (1881) 22 Vnto some Frigate light get thee aboord, And towards Greekish soyle no sayling slake. |
† 14. a. To put off, delay. Obs.—1
| 1544 St. Papers Hen. VIII, X. 48 It seamith that the Bushop slakith the sending of the Cardinals to thEmperour. |
† b. To neglect, allow to pass. Obs.
| 1560 Frampton Narr. in Strype Ann. Ref. (1709) I. 230 They asked me, Why I did so slake the time, and not declare the truth. |
▪ IX. slake, v.2 dial.
(sleɪk)
Also 6, 9 slaik, etc.
[a. ON. (Icel. and Norw.) sleikja (MSw. slekia) to lick.]
intr. and trans. To lick with the tongue; to smear, daub, wet slightly, etc.
Common in Sc. and north. dial. use; for variations of sense see the Eng. Dial. Dict.
| 1535 Lyndesay Satire 2173 Set thou not by, howbeit scho kisse and slaik it. 1808 Jamieson, To Slaik,..to bedaub. 1811 Willan in Archaeologia XVII. 158 Slake, to smear, to wet, or bedaub. 1824 Mactaggart Gallovid. Encycl. 5 Adders rough, and gruesome horrid,..gluey tongues did slake and feed. 1871 C. Gibbon Lack of Gold xxx, The mischievous ones were busy..‘slaking’ neighbour's doors with sowens. |
| transf. 1807–10 Tannahill Poems (1846) 68, I never had an itchin' To slake about a great man's kitchen, And like a spaniel lick his dishes. |