Sc. and north. Forms: 6 iouk, iouck, iuke, iowk, 7 jowk, 8 juck, jeuk, 8–9 jook, 9 juik. 7– jouk. [A Scottish word of uncertain origin.
It has been compared with DUCK v., senses 2, 4 of which coincide with senses 1, 4 of this; and it is noteworthy that the sb. duck is in many parts of Scotl. jook or jouk; but this seems an inadequate explanation, since the sb. is in other parts dūk or dōk, and the vb. to duck (in water) is generally duk: see DUCK v. The forms coincide to some extent with those of JOUK v.1 (which is not Sc.), but the sense seems to be essentially distinct, coinciding to some extent with that of JINK v.1]
1. intr. To bend or turn the body with a quick adroit movement downward or to one side, in order to avoid a missile or blow; to dodge; to duck.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, X. ix. 39. And jowkit in vnder the speyr has he.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., 4530. It is oure lait to juke quhen that the heid Is fra the hals.
1721. Kelly, Scot. Prov., i. 92. Juck, and let a Jaw go o’er you.
1785. Burns, To Jas. Smith, xxv. I jouk beneath Misfortune’s blows As weel’s I may.
1820. Scott, Abbot, xvi. But we must jouk and let the jaw gang by.
1888. Barrie, Auld Licht Idylls (1892), 146. The grey old man would wince, as if ‘joukin’ from a blow.
b. transf. and fig. To swerve for a moment.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. iv. 120. This rolk … Hercules it smyttis wyth a mychty touk Apon the richt half, for to mak it jouk.
1573. Davidson, Commend. Vprichtnes, 152, in Satir. Poems Reform., xl. He … did not iouk ane ioit from vprichtnes.
2. intr. By extension: To dart or spring with an adroit elusive movement out of the way or out of sight; to hide oneself by such action; to skulk.
a. 1510. Douglas, Conscience, 21. For Sciens baith and faythfull Consciens Sa corruptit ar with this warldis gude, That falset ioukis in everie clerkis hude.
1560. Rolland, Crt. Venus, I. 55 (1575), 2. I Iowkit than but dout quhen I thame saw, Behind the Bus (LORD) bot I liggit law.
1637. Rutherford, Lett. (1862), I. 439. I think it manhood to play the coward and jouk in the leeside of Christ.
1780–1808. Mayne, Siller Gun, III. As he strack, The supple tailor skips and springs—Aye jouking back.
c. 1790. Burns, Past. Poetry, vi. Come forrit, honest Allan! Thou need na jouk behint the hallan.
1886. Stevenson, Kidnapped (1888), 165. Jouk in here among the trees.
b. fig. To dart in and out (of sight).
a. 1810. Tannahill, Poems, Gloomy winter’s now awa’. ’Neath the brae the burnie jouks.
1894. Crockett, Raiders (ed. 3), 155. The reed lowe jookin’ through the bars.
3. trans. To evade, elude, ‘dodge,’ by ducking, bending, or springing aside.
1812. Ranken, Poems, 36. Fain wad he the bargain jeuket, But his honour was at stake.
1894. Crockett, Raiders (ed. 3), 165. Ye micht possibly hae juiked the blunderbush.
Mod. Sc. Every sodger at first tries to jouk the bullets.
4. intr. To bend the body adroitly (without any notion of dodging). † a. To bend oneself supply as a tumbler or acrobat. Obs.
c. 1450. Holland, Howlat, 789. Thus iowkit with iuperdyss the langland Ia.
b. To bow in salutation or obeisance; esp. to make a quick jerky bow: cf. JERK v.1 4.
1567. Ps. lxxxiii. in Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 105. Quhilk can not do, bot drink, sing, Iouk and beck.
1686. G. Stuart, Joco-Ser. Disc., 13. I jowkt to her, she baikt to me.
1728. Ramsay, Step-daughter’s Relief, vii. Sax servants shall jouk to thee.
1795. Burns, Heron Ballads, I. iv. But why should we to nobles jouk?
c. fig. To cringe, fawn; to dissemble.
1573. Davidson, Commend. Vprichtnes, Prol. in Satir. Poems Reform., 276. That our watche men faint not, nor begin to jouk or flatter with the world for feir of Tyrannis.
1821. Galt, Ayrsh. Legatees, Let. xxxii. 274. I saw no symptoms of the swelled legs that Lord Lauderdale, that jooking man, spoke about.
Hence Jouker, one who jouks.
1573. Davidson, Death Knox, 34, in Satir. Poems Reform., xli. Thair ioukers durst not kyith thair cure, For fear of Fasting in the Fratour.
