▪ I. † colk1 Obs. exc. dial.
Also 4–5 colke, 5 coke, 6 couk, 9 dial. coak, coke, cowk.
[app. a northern Eng. word: of uncertain origin. In form it agrees with OFris. kolk hole, hollow, eyehole, WFris. kolcke, NFris. kolok, EFris. kolk hole or deep place in the ground filled with water, MLG. and LG. kolk, kulk, MDu. kolck, Du. kolk hole, abyss, whirlpool, gulf; but the connexion of sense is by no means established.]
a. The core of an apple or similar fruit. b. The core of a horn, heart of wood, or the like.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 6445 Alle erthe..may likend be Til a rounde appel..Þat even in myddes has a colke, And swa it may be tille an egge yholke. c 1460 Towneley Myst. 281 An appylle..fulle roten inwardly At the colke within. 1483 Cath. Angl. 71 A Colke, erula, (interior pars pomi). c 1488 Anc. Cookery in Househ. Ord. (1790) 452 Take..gode appuls, and pyke oute the cokes of hom. 1570 Levins Manip. 217/45 Y⊇ Couk of an opple, cor. 1781 Hutton Tour to the Caves Gloss. (E.D.S.), Coak, the heart or pith of wood, horns, etc. 1869 R. B. Peacock Lonsdale Gloss. (Philol. Soc.) Coke, (1) the core of an apple. (2) The interior or core-part of a horn, the pith of wood, etc. 1888 Sheffield Gloss., Colke, the core of an apple, etc. |
▪ II. colk2
Also kolk.
[Identical with EFris. kolke, which however is the Black Diver.]
A local name for the Eider-duck.
| c 1549 D. Monro West. Iles (MS., = p. 47 ed. 177. 1774) In yis Ile [Swilskeray] yair hantis ane fowl callit ye Colk, little les nor ane goose, quha cummis in vair to ye land to lay his eggis, and to cleck his birdis. 1586 Holinshed Chron. (1807) I. 73 The Colke foule, which is little lesse than a goose. 1703 Martin West. Isles (1716) 25. 1808 Forsyth Beauties Scotl. V. 243 In the islands there is..a migratory bird, called by Martin colk, by others eider duck. |
b. See quot. (Perhaps an error.)
| 1833 Montagu Ornith. Dict. (ed. Rennie), Colk, a name for the King Eyder. 1864 Atkinson Prov. Names Birds. |