hawke
low (archaic/regional)archaic, historical, literary
Definition
Meaning
to hunt with a trained hawk or falcon
to sell goods aggressively by calling out in the street; to pursue or seek with intensity
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primary historical meaning refers to falconry. The verb meaning 'to sell goods by shouting' evolved from the aggressive, predatory image of hawking. Now largely replaced by 'to hawk' (as a regular verb) in modern usage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The verb form 'hawke' is obsolete in both. The noun 'hawker' (peddler) survives and is slightly more common in UK English for describing street vendors. The falconry term is equally historical in both.
Connotations
In historical UK context, may carry genteel/aristocratic connotations (sport of kings). The selling sense often implies lower social status. US usage, when encountered, is almost exclusively in historical/literary contexts.
Frequency
Extremely rare. May appear in historical novels, poetry, or regional dialects. The modern verb is 'hawk'.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SVO (The lord hawked his falcons.)SV (She hawked in the market.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this archaic form. Modern 'hawk' appears in 'hawk one's wares'.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Obsolete. Historical reference to street selling.
Academic
Used in historical texts, studies of falconry, or linguistic papers on verb morphology.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Historical term in falconry.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The gentry would hawke over their estates in autumn.
- He made his living by hawking pottery from a cart.
American English
- In colonial times, some would hawke goods from town to town.
- The novel described how they hawked for partridge.
adverb
British English
- (No adverbial form.)
American English
- (No adverbial form.)
adjective
British English
- (No modern adjectival use from this verb. 'Hawking' is used.)
American English
- (No modern adjectival use from this verb.)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (Too rare for A2. Use modern 'hawk'.)
- The old book said knights liked to hawke.
- People long ago would hawke things in the street.
- The treatise outlined the proper season to hawke for herons.
- Peddlers would hawke their trinkets with loud cries.
- The medieval lord hawked his prized gyrfalcons across the windy moors.
- The practice to hawke one's wares in the public square required a license.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a historical HAWKing EAGLE - the E at the end reminds you it's the old-fashioned verb form.
Conceptual Metaphor
HUNTING IS COMMERCE (The aggressive pursuit of prey maps onto the aggressive selling of goods).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with the modern noun 'hawk' (ястреб). The verb form is essentially extinct.
- The selling meaning is unrelated to 'торговать' in a general sense; it implies noisy, itinerant sales.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'hawke' in modern writing (use 'hawk').
- Confusing it with the noun 'hawk'.
- Misspelling as 'hock' or 'hake'.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary modern reason for encountering the verb form 'hawke'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is an archaic or Middle English spelling of the verb 'to hawk'. It is not used in contemporary standard English.
Both activities involve aggressive, persistent pursuit. The loud calls of a street vendor were metaphorically linked to the cry of a hawk.
Always use 'hawk' for the modern verb. Use 'hawke' only if you are quoting or emulating historical English.
In its historical usage, it likely followed weak verb conjugation (hawked, hawked). The modern verb 'hawk' is regular.