walk

1) A division of a forest, the area that one keeper might perambulate or oversee on foot.

1542 my walkes within the forest of Wyndesore

1622 every woodward maie take Blowen wood or Falne wood within his walkes, Pickering. In 1609, fees paid by the Cliffords of Skipton Castle to their Foresters and Park-keepers included 16s to William Atkinson for Walking of Craco Fell.

dates 1542 1609 1622

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2) In the period when cock-fighting flourished it was customary for the birds to be placed in the care of tenants. The practice was referred to as ‘walking’ the cocks and it became part of tenancy agreements.

1576 put to walkes in June, Almondbury

1718 one of the chickens last sent me is killed at his walk, Barnsley

1728 a Cuckoo Colour'd Cock ... in one of the windows ... which cock was kept or walked at this informant’s house, Wakefield. Similarly, whelps were kept by tenants but I have not seen ‘walk’ used in such cases.

dates 1576 1718 1728

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3) To full cloth, originally by trampling it under the feet.

1484 noon inhabitaunt ... shall make ... eny woollen cloth to be weved or walked ... without this Citie, York

1504 all thinges that belonges to weveyng and walking, Kirkstall. The East Riding farmer Henry Best used the word for wool that was matted, as though trampled: 1642 the fleece ... walked togeather, Elmswell.

dates 1484 1504 1642

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Photo by Kreuzschnabel CC BY-SA 3.0