Obs. or arch. [ME. carke-n, karke-n, is identical in form with ONF. carkier, karkier, carquier, qarkier, later (and mod. Pic.) carker (in other dials. carcier, carchier, charchier) to load, burden:—late L. carcāre, contr. f. carricāre to load (whence came the OF. duplicate form chargier, in ONF. carguer, cargier, to CHARGE).]
† 1. trans. To load, burden; also, to charge or impose as a charge upon. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 8253 (Gött.). It was sua karkid [F. karked, C. cherged, T. charged], ilka bow, wid lef, and flour, and fruit, enow. Ibid., 23002. Þai sal haue na might vp to win, Sua heui carked of þair sin.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 110. Anoþer oth … þe clergie did him karke.
1340. Ayenb., 138. Þe ilke … þet naȝt ne heþ bote þane nhicke y-carked mid zenne dyadlich. Ibid., 142. Þe milde herten y-carked mid þornes of ssarpnesse of penonce.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. IV. 472. Shal noþer kyng ne knyȝt … Ouer-cark þe comune.
2. To burden with care, burden as care does; to worry, harass, vex, trouble. (Mostly in pa. pple.) Obs. or arch.; but see CARKING ppl. a.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5654. Þan þai ware carked [v.r. fillud] in þat land [Egypt] wit care. Ibid., 23994 (Gött.). Bot carked [C. charked, F. carkid] sua i was wid care. Ibid., 24233. Þou cark þe noght sa fast wit car.
c. 1330. Arth. & Merl., 4464. The king Cradelman Was soure carked and alle his man.
1830. Tennyson, Dirge, 8. Thee nor carketh care nor slander.
3. intr. To be anxious, be full of anxious thought, fret oneself; to labor anxiously, to toil and moil. Obs. or arch.
a. 1400. in Wright, Lyric P., xvi. 54. For hire love y carke ant care.
1530. Palsgr., 476. I carke, I care, I take thought, Je chagrine.
1556. Abp. Parker, Psalter xxxvi. Argt., How he careth and carkth for his lytheir gayne.
1580. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 209. To carke [ed. 1573 carp] and care, and euer bare,… what life it is.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XIX. x. 136. Constantius … sat carking [L. curantem] and musing upon the matter.
1649. Blithe, Eng. Improv. Impr. (1652), 79. He need neither Moyle nor Carke as he did before.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm., Wks. 1716, I. 54. A covetous man … carking about his bags.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., ii. § 20. Old Bubalion in the city is carking, starving, and cheating, that his son may drink, game, and keep mistresses.
1848. Kingsley, Alt. Locke’s Song, 9. Why for sluggards cark and moil?
† 4. In weakened sense (cf. CARE v.): To take thought or care, busy oneself. Obs.
a. 1375. Joseph Arim., 30. Þei carke for here herbarwe.
c. 1420. Pallad. on Husb., IV. 701. For boles eke now tyme is forto kark.
1602. 2nd Pt. Return fr. Parnass., III. v. (Arb.), 47. Our doting sires, Carked and cared to haue vs lettered.
1603. Engl. Mourn. Garm., in Select. fr. Harl. Misc. (1793), 207. To cark for sheep and lambs, that cannot tend themselves.
† 5. ? (Morris explains ‘to produce.’) Obs. rare.
1340. Ayenb., 230. A donghel þet ne carkeþ … bote þornes and netlen.
