Forms: 1 hwylca, 4–7 whelke, 5 qwælke, 5–6 welke, 6, whealke, 8–9 welk, 9 dial. w(h)ilk, 5– whelk. [Late OE. (WS.) hwylca, prob. for *hwelca (cf. late hwylp for hwelp), f. hwelian WHEAL v.1 For the formation cf. swelca swelling, f. swellan to swell.]
1. A pustule, pimple; = WHEAL sb.1
c. 1000. Ælfric, Gloss., in Wr.-Wülcker, 161/17. Uarix, cwydele, uel hwylca.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 632. Ne oynement that wolde clense and byte, That hym myghte helpen of the whelkes white.
1388. Wyclif, Lev. xiv. 56. This is the lawe of al lepre … and of litle whelkis [1382 bleynes; Vulg. papularum] brekynge out.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VII. lxiv. (1495), s j b/2. In the face ben redde pymples & whelkes, out of whom ofte renne blood & matere.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 241. Obtolmia is clepid a whit’ welke or a reed poynt’.
1545. Raynalde, Byrth Mankynde, 116. Whelkes or bladders on the body.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., III. vi. 108. His face is all bubukles and whelkes, and knobs, and flames a fire.
1612. Woodall, Surg. Mate, Wks. (1653), 198. If the patient sick of the Collick have certaine small whelks or pushes arising upon his belly.
1632. trans. Bruel’s Praxis Med., 398. Purple colour spots, or else little whelks arise.
1865. R. Hunt, Pop. Rom. W. Eng., Ser. II. 240. Those little gatherings which occur on the eye-lids of children, locally called ‘wilks.’
Comb. 1585. Higins, Junius’ Nomencl., 72/2. Mordella,… a whelke flie, or blister flie.
2. Used by confusion for WEAL sb.2, WALE sb.1
a. 1761. Cawthorn, Poems, Wit & Learn. (1771), 153. I’ll lay thee, miscreant! on my knee, And print such welks thy naked seat on.
1791. Cowper, Iliad, XXIII. 894. And on their flanks and shoulders, red The whelks arose.
a. 1825. Forby, Voc. E. Anglia, Welk, welt … to give a sound beating, which is likely to raise weals, welks, or welts.
1870. Bryant, Homer, I. II. 47. A bloody whelk Rose where the golden sceptre fell.
