arch. and dial. Chiefly Sc. (tuk). Forms: 5 tuk, 6 tuicke, 6–9 touk, 8 tuke, 8–9 took, 6– tuck. [f. TUCK v.2: cf. Pr. toco, It. tocco ‘a stroke or knock, also a stroke of a bell or clocke,’ f. toccare ‘to touch, hit, to smite, strike’ (Florio).]
† 1. A blast of a trumpet. Obs. rare–1.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 7107. With the tuk of a trump, all his tore knightes He assemblit full sone.
2. A blow, a stroke, a tap; esp. in tuck of drum.
a. 1500. Battle of Harlaw, xv., in Sel. Coll. Sc. Ballads (1790), III. 17. With trumpets and with tuicke of drum.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. iv. 119. Hercules it smyttis wyth a mychty touk Apon the richt half, for to mak it jouk.
1640–1. Kirkcudbr. War-Comm. Min. Bk. (1855), 23. Within eight days efter intimatione be maid thairof, aither at the severall merkat crocess, or by touk of drume, or by advertisement.
1710. Ruddiman, Douglas’ Æneis, Gloss., Touk, stroak, blow,… a touch, pull; as to take a touk of any thing, i.e. have a touch at it.
1761. in St. Andrews Citizen, 21 March (1903). Published through the city by took of drum.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xii. An open convocating of the king’s lieges … by touk of drum.
1891. N. W. Devon Gloss., Tuck, a blow.
b. fig. or allusively.
1825. Carlyle, Schiller, App. (1845), 259. Schubart was happy to evacuate Munich without tuck of drum.
1878. Stevenson, Inland Voy., 85. Wherever death … sounds his own potent tuck upon the cannons.
† 3. (?) A kiss. Obs. rare.
1611. Cotgr., Bouquer, to take, or giue a tucke, or kisse.
