Obs. Forms: 1 wacian, 3 wakien, 3–4 woke, wokie. [OE. wácian, f. wác WOKE a.]
1. intr. To grow or become weak, to weaken; to become less severe, be mitigated.
993. Battle of Maldon, 10. Þe þam man mihte oncnawan þæt se cniht nolde wacian æt þam wiʓe.
1003. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.). Ðonne se heretoʓa wacað, þonne bið eall se here swiðe ʓehindred.
c. 1205. Lay., 2938. Þa ældede þe king & wakede an aðelan. Ibid., 13466. Þa heo weore swa drunken Þæt wakeden heore sconken. Ibid., 19798. His heorte gon to wakien [c. 1275 wokie].
c. 1275. Signs of Death, 2, in O. E. Misc., 101. [H]wenne þin heou blokeþ And þi strengþe wokeþ.
c. 1374. [see WEAK v. 2].
2. trans. a. To dilute, water. b. To soften (in quot. fig.). c. To soak in water: = WEAK v. 1 b.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XV. 332. As who so filled a tonne of a fresshe ryuer, And went forth with þat water to woke with themese. Ibid. (1393), C. XV. 25. Ac grace groweþ nat til goode wil gynne reyne, And wokie þorwe good werkes wikkede hertes. Ibid., XVII. 332. [He] with warme water of hus eyen wokeþ hit til hit white.
Hence † Woked ppl. a., steeped.
1408–9. in R. R. Sharpe, Cal. Letler-bk. I Lond. (1909), 71. [A proclamation forbidding the sale by retail of watered fish] pessoun eawee [called in English] Wokedfyssh.
