1579 E. Spenser Shepheardes Cal. Nov. f. 44^v Phoebus..hath..taken vp his ynne in Fishes has-ke. [E. K. in Gloss., In fishes haske, the sonne, reigneth that is, in the signe Pisces all Nouember. a haske is a wicker pad, wherein they vse to cary fish.].

1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Cauagna,..a fishers basket, or haske.

1611 F. Davison Poems 38 The joyfull sunne, whom cloudy winter's spight Had shut from us in watry fishes haske.

1633 P. Fletcher Poeticall Misc. 59 in Purple Island The sunne, which yet in fishes hasks, Or watry urn, impounds his fainting head.

1659 G. Torriano Florio's Vocabolario Italiano & Inglese Cavágna,..a fisher's-weel, or haske.

1954 Huntington Libr. Q. 18 7 Like the Kid of May's fable, caught in the Fox's bag, Elisa was in the Fish's hask—or basket or bag.

1995 D. Brooks-Davies in E. Spenser Sel. Shorter Poems App. 404 The sun, as the prime monarchical symbol, represents Elizabeth, now resident in the hask (basket) of the Fish, i.e., Alençon, who, as a Catholic, was obliged to eat fish on fast days.

?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (N.Y. Acad. Med.) f. 31^v (MED) 2a. fourme is made or done with lana succida infused in sope & lie with wine cocte & oile y-mixte togider, in adding to of acete & haske or stronge [?c1425 Paris sterne; L. austero] wyne.

Promptorium Parvulorum (Harl. 221) 228 Harske, or haske, as sundry frutys, stipticus, poriticus.

1593 G. Markham Disc. Horsmanshippe iii. sig. G4^v This branne is nothing but the outmost shale or huske of the Corne, the meale and strength whereof is taken away: now when y^t vertue is bereft, what remaines but a dry haske thing, without eyther nutriment or spirite?

1618 P. Anderson Colde Spring Kinghorne Craig sig. B4 A button of Crystall holden in the mouth when the tongue is hask and dry in fevers, presentlie cooleth & moystneth the same.

1747 W. Hooson Miners Dict. sig. Mij^v Curled and adorned after the same manner by Spar, but hask and dry, and of no pleasant Colour at all.

1787 T. Topham New Compend. Syst. Dis. Cattle v. 69 At other times the mouth is hask and dry, the skin stiff, and all the external parts cold.

1825 B. Rotch in Glasgow Mechanics' Mag. 17 Sept. 73/2 [Bleached goods] taken from the leys or sours, or even after crofting,..always have a hard feel, which makes them appear hask , as the Scotch bleachers express it.

1828 W. Carr Dial. Craven (ed. 2) (at cited word) ‘Hask grass’, rough, coarse grass.

1850 Notts. Guardian 4 July 2/4 Having used your Composition for Dipping Sheep in my flock of 700, I have found it greatly to improve the growth of the wool and leave it with its natural oily nature, and not so dry and hask as the Composition I have had from other parties in former years.

1884 G. S. Streatfeild Lincolnshire & Danes 265 At the fore-end of the year the winds are often hask and snyde.

1891 Preston Guardian 30 Mar. 2/6 No doubt the hask, dry, and very cold spring has been unfavourable for the health of the young equine species.

1928 A. E. Pease Dict. Dial. N. Riding Yorks. 58/2 Hask..harsh, rough, coarse, dryness as regards food. ‘Es hask ez choppt haay’.

1995 J. M. Sims-Kimbrey Wodds & Doggerybaw 137/1 Hask, parched, rough, dry. ‘Me skin's all 'ask after bein' out theer wi' wet 'ands in a' that freezin' wind!’ ‘Them lettuces is all 'ask an' snerped up. Ya fergot ter watter 'em, dintcher?’

tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) vii. l. 124 Al hugely and haske [L. rauce] yf that they [sc. bees] humme..A signe is that their combes beth ful drie.

1584 in D. Calderwood Hist. Kirk Scotl. (1843) IV. 126 With inkehorne termes and counterfooted eloquence, and als hask a stile, as would [etc.].

1599 A. Hume Hymnes Ep. to Rdr. sig. A4^v Rude Scottish and hask verses.

1643 R. Baillie Lett. & Jrnls. (1841) II. 63 The petition of the Londoners got so hask and insnareing ane answer.

1678 J. Brown Quakerisme Path-way to Paganisme xviii. 380 Instead of answering, and saying..That none others, but such as should certainly be saved, were true and lawful Ministers; finding this, it seemeth, too hask, he chooseth rather to say, That there may be a total falling away from grace.

1876 W. Brockie Confessional 194 [He] swure an aith eneuch ane's bluid to chill; It was in a tone baith hersh and hask.

1996 C. I. Macafee Conc. Ulster Dict. 166/1 Hask,..of a person, harsh, unsympathetic, severe; ill-natured.

?2002 I. W. D. Forde Hale ir Sindries ii. i. 122 The cosie ruim..wes hiz fend agin the disconveniences o the hask warl outby.

a1722 E. Lisle Observ. Husbandry (1757) II. 129 They have in Wilts a disease on their cows, which they call a hask, or husky cough.

1787 T. Topham New Compend. Syst. Dis. Cattle xlii. 377 In any dry hask cough..the opening of a vein is peculiarly serviceable.

1936 Trans. Thoroton Soc. Notts. 39 27 She seems to have such a hask cough on her.

1996 C. I. Macafee Conc. Ulster Dict. 166/1 Hask,..husky, hoarse.