Obs. Forms: 4–5 iouke, ioyke, 4–6 iowke, 5–6 ioke, 6 ieouke, 7 jouk, juke, jook. [a. OF. jok-ier, joqu-ier, jouq-ier (3 sing. pr. joke, jouque) to be at roost, at rest, to lie down, mod.F. jucher, Walloon joukî, Namur joker. Ulterior derivation unknown.]
1. intr. Of birds: a. To perch, sit (upon branches). b. Falconry. To roost, to sleep upon its perch.
a. 1400. Pistel of Susan, 82. Þe Briddes … On peren and pynappel, þei ioyken in pees.
1486. Bk. St. Albans, A v (1496 a iij). The kyndeli termis that belong to hawkis…. The .v. youre hauke Ioukith [Rel. Ant. I. 296 joketh], and not slepith. Ibid., C viij (1496 c iij). She Ioykith when she slepith.
1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, 121. Make her jeouke all nyght in payne and in a moyste or colde place, and so shall she watch moste of the nyght.
c. 1575. Perf. Bk. Kepinge Sparhawkes (ed. Harting), 32. Or elles sodenly awake her from jokin.
1672. Skinner, To juke or jug as birds doe, se in pertica ad dormiendum componere.
1886. Harting, Gloss. Perf. Bk. Sparhawkes, 44. Jokin, sleeping: now obsolete.
2. intr. To lie asleep or at rest; to lie close, lie, (?) to lurk; also, more vaguely, To abide, remain.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 182. Ionas þe Iwe … Iowked in derne.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, V. 409. For certes it noon honour is to the To wepe and in þi bed to Iowken þus.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVI. 92. And þanne spakke spiritus sanctus in Gabrieles mouthe To a mayde þat hiȝte Marye … þat one Ihesus a justice sone moste iouke in her chambre, Tyl plenitudo temporis.
c. 1400. Sege Jerus. (E.E.T.S.), 300. Schal neuer kyng of ȝour kynde with croune be ynoyntid, Ne Jewe for Jesu sake [i]ouke in ȝou more.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 4202. And saue þe Iolite of Iuly þai Iowke in þa strandis.
¶ b. pseudo-arch. To doze.
a. 1652. Brome, Eng. Moor, III. ii. Wks. 1873, II. 44. Buz. Hey ho. I am very sleepy. Nat. See he jooks already.
