▪ I. pawk1, pauk Sc. and north. dial.
(pɔːk)
Also 6 palk, (? paik).
[Derivation unknown.]
Trick, artifice, cunning device.
| 1513 Douglas æneis viii. Prol. 81 Prattis ar reput policy and perellus paukis [rimes walkis, talk is, baulkis]. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. III. 274 Greit wounder had quha playit had that palk. 1583 Leg. Bp. St. Androis 255 Maid to be punissit for his palk [printed paik]; But he was stubburne in his talk. Ibid. 838 Ane vther Lunden paik he playit. a 1600 Montgomerie Misc. Poems xviii. 68 Throu pearking of a pyet Besyde thame, vhilk thair palks espyde. 1768 W. Wilkie Fables 118 Pawks and wiles whar pith is wantin. 1811 Macneill Bygane Times 18 (E.D.D.) Wi' saftening sound, And pawks, to bring ilk project round. |
b. In north. Eng. dial. (Yorkshire): Impertinence, forwardness, sauciness; also, an impertinent or saucy person. See Eng. Dial. Dict.
Hence ˈpawkery, trickery, cunning.
| 1820 Hogg Wint. Even. T. II. 41 Onye sikkan wylld sneckdrawinge and pawkerye. 1830 Galt Lawrie T. i. viii. (1849) 29 Pawkrie is no' an ill nest-egg to begin with! |
▪ II. pawk2 local.
A small lobster.
| 1768 Travis in Pennant Zool. (1777) IV. 10 If they be under four inches, they are called [at Scarborough] pawks, and are not saleable to the carriers. |