"Hawkins" etymology (rudimentary speculation)

Douglas G. Wilson douglas at NB.NET
Wed Mar 2 02:47:54 UTC 2005


Warrack's Scots Dictionary (1911) shows <<hawking _adj_ sharp, hawk-like.>>

In Scots even more than in English I believe this word would be
conventionally "hawkin". Personification of a "hawkin wind" as "Hawkins"
seems plausible enough.

However, I have been unable to find any example of the use of this
adjective "hawking". In fact I can't find it anywhere else at all, not even
in the EDD or the SND. So I don't know whether it could have been applied
to a cold wind; maybe it is appropriate only for a "hawkish countenance" or
something like that. Anybody recognize the word at all?

-- Doug Wilson



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