Stirk

Forms: 1 stírc, stíorc, stýrc, stýric, 5 stirkke, styyrke, strike, 5–6 strik, 5–7 stirke, 5–9 styrk, 6 steirk, sterke, stierke, striack, stryk, styrke, 6–7 sturke, 7–9 sturk, 4– stirk. [OE. stírc, stíorc, stýrc, stýric, neut., app. a diminutive f. stéor STEER sb.¹ + -ic, a variant (not found elsewhere) of -oc, -uc: see -OCK. Cf. MLG. sterke, starke (mod.G. sterke, stärke, ? from LG.), MDu., mod.Du. dial. (Gelderland) sterke, early mod.Du. stierick (Kilian, who marks it ‘Sicambrian,’ i.e., Gelderland, etc.), fem., a heifer, a cow that has not yet calved. Another diminutive formation is MDu. stierken bull-calf.

  Kluge and Falk & Torp reject the connection with OTeut. *steuro- STEER sb.¹, and compare HG. dial. sterch ram or hog, OHG. stero (HG. dial. ster) ram, which they refer to the root *ster- of Goth. stairō fem. adj., barren, L. sterilis STERILE a. But the relationship of these words is obscure.]

  1.  A young bullock or heifer, usually between one and two years old.

  The mod. application varies in different localities. In the midland counties generally the word denotes only the female; in Scotland it is chiefly applied to the male; in northern England and Lincolnshire it is applied to either sex, often with defining word as bull-stirk, cow-, heifer-, or quey-stirk.

8[?].  Kentish Glosses, in Wr.-Wülcker, 70/12. Quam ad uitulum saginatum, ðonne to fettum stiorce.

a. 1000.  Voc., ibid. 195/29. Bucula, iuuenca, uitula, stirc.

a. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke xv. 23. Bringað an fætt styric [Vulg. vitulum] & of-sleað.

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Lives Saints, xv. 183. Þæt þridde [sc. the third evangelist] stod anum styrce ʓelic [cf. þæs celfes ʓelicnyss 192].

10[?].  Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 321/9. Juuencus, styrc.

1377.  in Test. Karleol. (1893), 117. Lego … Margarete del Hall unam vaccam bonam cum uno stirk.

c. 1425.  Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 669/9. Hic bouiculus, styrk.

1448–9.  in Finchale Priory Charters, etc. (Surtees), p. cclvii. Item xxviij twynters. Item xxxiii striks.

1484.  in Acta Dom. Concil. (1839), 95*/1. Three ky,… twa stirkis.

1513.  Douglas, Æneis, V. vi. 75. The stirkis for the sacrifice … War newly brittnit [L. cæsis … juvencis].

1601.  in Househ. Ord. (1790), 288. All beeves, muttons, veales, sturkes [etc.].

1669.  Chamberlayne, Pres. St. Eng., 298. Yearly was spent [at the King’s tables] … 400 Sturks or young Biefes.

1724.  Ramsay’s Tea-t. Misc. (1733), II. 181. My bairn has tocher of her awin;… A Stirk, a staig, and acre sawin.

1808.  Compl. Grazier (ed. 3), 97, note. The bull … when turned a year old … is a stirk, or yearling-bull.

1858–61.  Ramsay, Remin., ii. (1870), 28. A twa-year-auld stirk.

  Prov.  1721.  J. Kelly, Sc. Prov., 309. There was ay some Water where the Stirk drown’d.

  2.  Used as a term of abuse: a foolish person.

c. 1590.  Montgomerie, Sonn., lxx. 13. Thou art a stirk, for all thy staitly stylis.

1728.  Ramsay, Last Sp. Miser, xv. I took them a’ for stirks That loo’d na money.

1788.  Burns, Calf, ii. I doubt na, Sir, but then we’ll find, Ye’re still as great a Stirk.

1847.  Le Fanu, T. O’Brien, 213. Sure he’s never where he ought to be—the sturk.

1894.  A. Gordon, Northw. Ho! 303. What’s the guid o’ learnin’ when it turns decent countra lads intae stirks an’ asses?

  3.  attrib. and Comb.

c. 1470.  Henryson, Mor. Fab., X. (Fox & Wolf), xvii. The deuill ane stirk taill thairfoir sall ye haif.

1567.  in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 109. A stag or stirk buckskin jerkin.

1573.  in Lanc. & Cheshire Wills (Chetham Soc.), II. 139. Item one cowe hede one striack skyne and one fole skyne, vij^s.

1601.  in Househ. Ord. (1790), 289. The Clerke [of the Accatry] hath for his fee all the calves skinnes, and stirk skinnes.

1651.  Manch. Crt. Leet Rec. (1887), IV. 68. For sellinge a stirke beefe w^ch wee were informed had the turne.

1891.  ‘H. Haliburton,’ Ochil Idylls, 134. The haflin wi’ his stirk-like glowre.

  Hence Stirkie (Sc.), † Stirkin, diminutive formations used in the same sense.

1559.  Will of W. Perchy (Somerset Ho.). Styrkyns & hecfordes of ij yeres olde.

18[?].  Prov., in Ramsay’s Remin., v. (1870), 153. There’s aye water where the stirkie drouns.