Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A dialectal form of whelk.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Zoöl.), obsolete See whelk.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun zoology Obsolete form of whelk.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • The periwinkle and wilk interest has sustained a severe shock; but potatoes continue to be _done_ much as usual.

    Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, August 7, 1841 Various

  • He gave to the French a necklace, which he called _cantaride_, formed of wilk shells, in exchange for articles of dress, a poll-axe, and knives.

    The History of Tasmania , Volume II John West 1840

  • I am not realy fond of the idea of coughlin rotating wilk, and kehl on the weakside.

    MVN 2008

  • I am not realy fond of the idea of coughlin rotating wilk, and kehl on the weakside.

    MVN 2008

  • It is made principally by the Narragansitt black islanders, * and Long Island Indians, Upon the sandy flats and shores of those coasts the wilk shells are found.

    Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society 1792

  • Had I paid you what I owed you, for the book yOu bought for me, I fhould only have grieved for the lofs of your company, and flcpt with a quiet confcicnce; but, wounded as it IS, it muft remain fb till I fee you again, though I am fuK our good friend Mr. Johnlbn wilk will difcharge the debt for me, if you wili let him. —

    The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, with Samuel Johnson, LL. D ... 1785

  • "Looks like Steve Corbett PA Radio host at wilk network has caught the attention of The DNC, yesterday Corbett launch Operation Turn Down campaign to let the DNC know that true Democrats where not voting for Obama.

    Big Pro-Hillary Independent Group Will Spend Up To $500,000 On Ad In Oregon 2009

Comments

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  • Scots (Orkney) - periwinkle.

    January 11, 2008

  • Are you speaking of the shell or the flower? If it's the shell, I wonder if it's related to welk?

    I bet mollusque would know that...

    January 11, 2008

  • Wilk and welk are both variants of whelk, which is applied to a large variety of species around the world, ranging from periwinkles (2-3 cm) to the lightning whelk, which can reach 40 cm.

    January 11, 2008

  • Wow. I never knew it was spelled wilk or welk. I always saw it as whelk, a word I adore.

    January 11, 2008

  • Not to be confused with the word welkin, whose meaning I just learned, and doesn't have anything obvious to do with the phrase make the welkin ring.

    January 11, 2008

  • "Gathering 'wilks' as Orcadians call the Edible Periwinkle, Littorina littorea (not to be confused with the Dog Whelk, Nucela lapillus, or Common Whelk, buccinum undatum) has an ancient traditional history in Orkney.

    ...

    In later centuries in times of famine, wilks, mussels and spoots (razor-shells) were sought out in desperation by starving islanders.

    ...

    Nowadays wilking is mostly a seasonal occupation - usually from February to May, though sometimes lasting into summer.

    ...

    Wilk tides are one of the few signs of spring in Orkney. Instead of sparkling sunlight, crocuses and catkins, the wind screams from the southeast and haar shrouds everything in grey murk.

    ...

    Dotted around, armed with net sacks and fertiliser bags, wilkers are busy. Wrapped up for all weathers, some are woolly-hatted and welly-booted, others wear oilskins in bright flourescent colours."

    - 'Harvest Of The Sea', Matt Bain in The Scots Magazine, March 2000.

    January 12, 2008

  • Great excerpt, Bilby! I hadn't known about spoots as a name for razor-shells. A typo: "Nucela" should be Nucella.

    January 12, 2008