welk Meaning, Definition & Usage

Welk intransitive verb
Etymology
OE. welken; cf. D. & G. welken to wither, G. welk withered, OHG. welc moist. See Welkin, and cf. Wilt.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Welked ; present participle & verbal noun Welking
Definitions
  1. To wither; to fade; also, to decay; to decline; to wane. Obs.
    When ruddy Phbus 'gins to welk in west. Spenser.
    The church, that before by insensible degrees welked and impaired, now with large steps went down hill decaying. Milton.
Welk transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To cause to wither; to wilt. Obs.
    Mot thy welked neck be to-broke [broken]. Chaucer.
  2. To contract; to shorten. Obs.
    Now sad winter welked hath the day. Spenser.
  3. To soak; also, to beat severely. Prov. Eng.
Welk noun
Definitions
  1. A pustule. See 2d Whelk.
Welk noun
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) A whelk. R.

Webster 1913