▪ I. stouk, n. dial.
(staʊk, stʊk)
Also stowk, stook.
[Of obscure origin.]
The handle of a pail or other vessel.
| 1674 Ray N.C. Words 46 A Stowk..the handle of a Pail. 1688 Holme Armoury iii. xiv. (Roxb.) 5/1 [A pottinger] is an half round vessell in the belly without a brime, some haueing two eares, but most onely one eare or handle or stouke as the countrey terme is. 1817 Wilbraham Cheshire Gloss. in Archæologia XIX. 38 Stowk, a stalk or handle of a pail. 1879 G. F. Jackson Shropsh. Word-bk., Stouk, a handle, as of any wooden or earthenware vessel. 1882 W. Worcestersh. Gloss. Add. s.v., Please, 'm, I took 'old o' the jug, an' the stook come off in my 'and. |
▪ II. stouk, v. dial.
[f. stouk n.]
trans. To fit with a handle or handles. Also absol.
| 1686 Plot Staffordsh. iii. §27. 123 When they are dry they stouk them, i.e. put Ears and Handles to such Vessels as require them. 1820 Wilbraham Cheshire Gloss. 63 To Stouk or Stowk, to put ears or handles to such vessels as require them. 1829 S. Shaw Staffordsh. Potteries 104 Vessels..with loop handles stouked to the sides. Ibid. 166 A good workman could throw, turn, and stouk. |
Hence ˈstouker, one who fits vessels with handles; ˈstouking vbl. n.
| 1809 in Jewitt Life Wedgwood (1865) 105 Fletcher was a ‘Stouker’ by trade. I gave him a pint of ale to show my handlers the old way of ‘Stouking’. 1829 S. Shaw Staffordsh. Potteries 104 The Stouker..was the workman who affixed handles, spouts, and other appendages. Ibid. 123 Some of the black tea pots are glazed, but not all; and the stouking branch seems improved in all the specimens. |
▪ III. stouk(e
obs. forms of stock n.1, stook.