lowke

English

Verb

lowke (third-person singular simple present lowkes, present participle lowking, simple past and past participle lowked)

  1. (Early Modern, obsolete) Alternative spelling of look
    • 13 April 1588, Francis Drake, Sir Francis Drake to the Queen, reprinted in "New Books: The Life, Voyages, and Explits of Admiral Sir Francis Drake", The Nautical Magazine and Naval Chronicle, for 1843, p. 836.
      I have not in my lyffe time knowen better men and possessed with gallanter mynds than your Majestie's people are for themost parte, which are here gathred together, vollontaryllye to put ther hands and hartts to the fynishing of this great peice of work, werein we ar ail perswaded that God , the gever of all victoryes, will in mercye lowke uppon your most excellent Majestie
    • 11 July 1567, Nicholas Throckmorton, Letter from Sir Nicholas Throckmorton to Sir William Cecil, reprinted in Selections from Unpublished Manuscripts in the College of Arms and the British Museum Illustrating the Reign of Mary Queen of Scotland M.D.XLIII.-M.DLXVIII., p. 263
      Sir, I have no matter of anye great moment at thys tyme to advertyze yow of. I heare amoungest theys folkes that they doe daylye lowke for Lyneroll to come forthe of Fraunce hether, so doe they also for a gretter personage after hym.
    • 1709, Vox Populi, Vox Dei, l. 72-73, Harlein MS; reprinted in 1868, Freidrick Furnivall (ed.) Ballads from Manuscripts Vol. I., London: The Ballad Society. p. 125
      yf youre grace it over-lowke, / And over-lowke it agayne, / Hit wyll tyll yow soo playne / the tenvre and the trowthe

Middle English

Etymology 1

Likely from louken (“to lock”).

Noun

lowke

  1. (rare) A lock, bolt; a locker, locked chest.

Etymology 2

Unknown. Possibly related to louk (“woodlouse”)

Noun

lowke

  1. (hapax) Uncertain. Suggestions include: a thief's accomplice, "a good for nothing fellow,"[1] "a receiver of stolen goods."[2]
    • c. 1410, Geoffrey Chaucer, "The Cook's Tale" in The Canterbury Tales, copied in the Hangwrt MS. Republished in 1870, Frederick James Furnivall (ed.), Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in Parallel Columns, Part II, London: The Chaucer Society. l. 4415-4416.
      And for ther nys no theef / with-oute a lowke
      That helpeth hym / to wasten and to sowke
      Of that he brybe kan / or borwe may
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

References
  1. 1893, Richard Morris (ed.), The Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, Vol. 1, London: George Bell & Sons p. 310
  2. 1880, Robert Bell (ed.) Poetical Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, Vol. IV, London: George Bell & Sons, p. 472
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