arch. Forms: 1–2 éac, (1 ǽc, éc), 3–4 ec, ek, 3 æac, ok, 4–6 eek(e, (4 heke, yke), 6–7 eake, Sc. 6 eik(e, 8 eek, 3– eke. [Com. Teut.:—OE. éac = OFris. âk, OS. ôk (Du. ook), OHG. ouh (MHG. ouch, mod.G. auch), ON. auk ‘also’ (Da. og, Sw. och ‘and’), Goth. auk for, but. The ultimate origin is uncertain; some connect the word with the root of EKE v., while others consider it f. Aryan *au again + *ge particle of emphasis; cf. Gr. αὖ γε. The form ok in 13th c. is app. a. ON.] Also, too, moreover; in addition.
Beowulf, 3131 (Gr.). Dracan ec scufun Wyrm ofer weall clif.
a. 700. Epinal Gloss., 846. Quinetiam, æc þan … æc don.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xi. 9. Ic eow secʓe, eac maran þonne witeʓan.
1154. O. E. Chron., an. 1118. Eac on þison ʓeare wæs unʓemetliche mycel wind.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 3. Mid his apostles and ec mid oðere floc manna.
c. 1175. Cott. Hom., 221. Swa mihte æac þe oðre.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 56. Vor þæt ec þæt he dude hire was iðe frumðe sore hire unðonckes.
a. 1300. Havelok, 200. Þe beste, fayreste, the strangest ok.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., A. 210. Her here heke al hyr vmbe-gon.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. I. 88. And eke I-liknet to vr lord.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 757. Eke therto he was right a mery man.
a. 1420. Occleve, De Reg. Princ., 565. The ende is dethe of male and eke femele.
1500–20. Dunbar, How Dunbar ane Freir, 38. In it haif I in pulpet gon and preichit In Derntoun kirk, and eik in Canterberry.
1580. Sidney, Arcadia, II. 219. These forrests eke, made wretched by our music.
1616. R. C., Times’ Whis., v. 1658. But eke doth comprehend That base vnmanly sinne of drunkennesse.
1759. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, II. ii. 39. Supposing the wax good, and eke the thimble.
a. 1856. Longf., Childr. Lord’s Supper, 122. Answered the young men Yes! and Yes! with lips softly breathing answered the maidens eke.
