Also 5– Sc. craik. [If CROAK goes back to an OE. *crácian (of which the recorded crǽcetian would be dim.), crake may be the northern form, as in oak, ake, etc.; cf. LG. krâken in Grimm. But croak is of late appearance, and both it and crake may be of echoic origin.]
1. intr. To utter a harsh grating cry: said of the crow, quail, corn-crake, etc.
(The first quot. may belong to CRAKE v.2, CRACK v.)
c. 1386. Chaucer, Merch. T., 606. The slakke skin about his nekke schakith, Whil that he song; so chaunteth he and craketh.
c. 1450. Henryson, Mor. Fab., 58. Als the Quailȝie craikand in the corne.
1547. Pore Help, x. in Strype, Eccl. Mem., II. App. J. 38. Some bluster and blowe, And crake (as the crowe).
1591. Florio, 2nd Fruites, 101. When the crowe begins to crake, The Fox beguiles him of his cake.
a. 1605. Montgomerie, Flyting, 504. Geise and gaislings cryes and craikes. [Cf. CREAK v.]
1886. W. W. Fowler, Year with Birds, 32. Crooning, craking, and hopping into it again.
† 2. To grate harshly; to creak. Obs.
1657. J. Smith, Myst. Rhet., 73. The craking of a door.
