welk

name

Etymology: * As a German surname, variant of Welge, from Middle Low German welich (“lively, luxuriant”), from Old Saxon welag, from Proto-West Germanic *welag; also as a variant of Welsch. * Also as a German surname, from archaic Middle High German welc (“mild, soft”), from the root of the verb welken (“to wither”). * As a Lower Sorbian surname, from wjelk (“wolf”). * Also as a Sorbian surname, from the personal name Welimir, from Proto-Slavic *velь (“great”).

1. A surname.

noun

1. Alternative form of whelk.

verb

Etymology: From Middle English welken, probably from a continental Germanic language; compare Middle Dutch welken (Dutch welken) and Middle Low German welken. Cognate with German welken. Ultimately, from Proto-West Germanic *wilkijan (“to become soft”), from Proto-Germanic *welkaz (“soft, withered”), according to Kluge, related to *wulkną (“cloud”). Compare also Old English wealwian (“to fade, wither”), Old English wlacu (“tepid, lukewarm”).

1. Of a plant: to wither, wilt, decay.
2. To diminish; to lose brightness, to wane.

   “As gentle Shepheard in ſweete euentide, / When ruddy Phebus gins to welke in weſt, [...]”

   “[T]he Church that before by inſenſible degrees welk'd and impair'd, now with large ſteps went down hill decaying; [...]”

3. to soak, steep.
4. to thrash, beat severely.
5. To contract; to shorten.

   “But nowe ſadde Winter welked hath the day, / And Phœbus weary of his yerely taſ-ke: / Yſtabled hath his ſteedes in lowlye laye / And taken vp his ynne in Fiſhes haſ-ke.”

6. To form into wrinkles or ridges.