Obs. exc. Hist. Forms: 5–6 caryk(e, 5 carikke, careke, karik, carrik(ke, carryk(e, carrake, carryg, 5–7 carak, carack(e, carrike, carricke, 6 carake, caryck, (caracte, carect), carrek(e, 6–7 carike, carick(e, careck(e, carracke, carreck(e, carrick, carrak, 7 (carract), carraque, 7–8 (caract), 7–9 carack, carrack. [a. OF. carraque, caraque = med.L. carraca, carrica, carica, Sp., Pg. carraca, It. caracca (whence also MDu. karâ·ke, now kraak), of uncertain origin; see Diez.]
A large ship of burden, also fitted for warfare, such as those formerly used by the Portuguese in trading with the East Indies; a galleon.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sompn. T., 24. Brodder than of a carryk [MSS., carrik2, carik, carike, caryke] is the sayl.
a. 1422. Hen. V., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. III. 31, I. 72. Maistres for owr grete shippes, carrakes, barges, and balyngers.
a. 1422. Toma, ibid. I. 72, note. Ther be twey new Carrakas of makyng at Bartholem.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxliii. With 3 carrickes [v.r. carrikkes, Fabyan carykes] of Jene.
1483. Act 1 Rich. III., viii. Preamb., In Caraks, Galeis, and Shippes.
1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., v. Preamb., Carrykis … of other regions and Cuntreies.
1509–10. Act 1 Hen. VIII., xx. § 1. Any Carrek or Galey.
1512. Wriothesley, Chron. (1875), I. 7. A carike of France.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. xxvii. 41. Shyppes, careckes, and galyes.
1529. Rastell, Pastyme, Hist. Brit. (1811), 250. Toke .iii. of the greattest of theyr Caryckes.
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), U v b. In greate carrackes.
1579. North, Plutarch, 338 (R.). One of the greatest carects or hulkes of the king.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 459. A great Carrick would be skarce able to beare them all.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., III. ii. 140. Spaine, who sent whole Armadoes of Carrects.
1600. Abp. Abbot, Exp. Jonah, 146. The hugest mightiest Carickes that ever came on the water.
1628. Wither, Brit. Rememb., VII. 1045. The Carraks, and the Argosies of Spaine.
1655. Heywood, Fortune by Land, IV. i. Wks. 1874, VI. 414. With any Carract that do’s trade for Spain.
1670. Cotton, Espernon, III. IX. 441. The wrack of the Carricks.
1703. De Foe, Sp. Descent, Misc. 130. Here a vast Carrack flies, while none pursue.
1860. Motley, Netherl. (1868), II. xvi. 283. Drake … fell in with one of those famous Spanish East Indiamen, called carracks.
