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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Crag, Crage, Craig, n.¹ Also: cragg, krag; craige, craigg, crayg, kraig. [Northern ME. crag (c 1300), obscurely related to Gael. creag, Welsh craig.]

1. A crag or rock.Freq. as an element in place-names. For further examples see Cleuch n. 2, and the combs. lime-, roche-, sclate-craig.(a) c 1145 Edinb. Chart. 4.
[Usque quo peruenitur ad unam craggam que est sub eodem castello 1160 Facs. Nat. MSS. I. 17.]
Craggam eiusdem uille [de Kelcho] 1278 Newbottle Chart. 32.
Incipiendo in austro ad divisas inter Bradd et … terram de le Krag Ib.
Ad divisas illius Crag 1370 Reg. Morton II. 87.
Ascendendo … per le bra in austro usque le White Cragg sicut aqua descendit vsque le Cragg superius de la blak loch 1375 Barb. vi. 211.
Thai set enbuschement in the vay … Betuix ane hye crag and the se Ib. xiii. 432.
The craggis all … About the castell a1400 Leg. S. xliv. 256.
For vnsterit scho stud stil As a crag c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1806.
Mony sandy brayis lyande Outwith the craggis on the lande c1420 Wynt. i. 363.
Tyll a crag that wes neir by He bare hym Ib. viii. 4259.
Amang the craggis, that off alde In Scotland ware the Wolvys calde 1456 Hay II. 138/22.
Othir wateris ar naturaly engendered … within craggis and caves in the erde 1478 Colquhoun Chart. II. 296.
[Land] liand in lyntht and breid fra the crag … to the channale at the end of the said Schir Iohnnis land 1513 Doug. i. iv. 11.
Baith heir and thair stant large craggis and brais Ib. iii. viii. 104; etc.
Thir horribill rolkis and craggis heir 1531 Bell. Boece I. 29.
This nobill prince … was drevin apon ane crag 1554 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 1194.
The park dike circulit about Arthour Sett, Salisborie and Dudingstoun Craggis 1580 Inverness B. Rec. I. 281.
Ane greit tempest … dang the said boit on the craggis c1650 Spalding I. 296.
He convoyis thame secretlie wnder the scowg of ane crag(b) a1400 Leg. S. xvi. 878.
The crage clymand vpe he hyre socht Ib. xx. 43.
A kyrk in a crage he hade c1420 Wynt. vi. 535.
In to that crage he gert … That hewyd apon a stayke be sete c1460 Wisd. Solomon 358.
Wyth help of spryngis … in cragis and mountains 1498 Highland P. II. 197.
Gife I desire to bige ane hous … wpon the heicht wnder the crage 1512 Wemyss Chart. 139.
Cumand … to ane mekle erdfast crage … and fra that same crage ewyne northt 1513 Doug. ii. vi. 20.
On a pynnakill of sum cragis hycht Ib. vi. iv. 4.
A hieduus hoill, … All ful of cragis 1549 Compl. 98/12.
Vitht in it their vas mony cragis and vyild treis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1529.
Frome clattryng cragis … The erth was weschin quyte away 1603 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 82 b.
The baiting and hunding of twa lambes … over the crage(c) 1535 Stewart 11006.
Richt heiche aboue ane gill, Ane craig thair stude callit the Craftishill Ib. 28904.
In ane craig that callit is the Bas 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II. 181.
Maistir Alexander M‘ Brek, for … the akir vndir the craig, xiij lib 1549 Ann. Banff I. 27.
The gudes to be … cassing our the craig a1568 Bann. MS. 49 a/20.
He spairis thé nocht, in schip, nor bot, In coive, nor craig 1571 J. Maitland Sat. P. xxvii. 29.
Mony fairlie fortounes thow may find, As channellis, craigges, beddis, and bankis blind 1578 Prot. Bk. I. Robesone 5 b.
All and haill the craig and landis callit Cragingalt 1590 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 331.
The banefyre maid … upoun the Craigis at hir Maiestieis hame cuming a 1595 Skene Celtic Sc. III. 430.
Keissadull … standis … under ane great craig, sua that the craig cummis over it 1607 Reg. Privy C. VII. 335.
The port and heaven thairof … fillit with beddis of sand, grite craigis and rolling stanes 1627 Banff Ann. II. 212.
Begynnand at the wast at ane grene brea and craige in the chyngill 1646 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 213.
For cuting of the crayg for leuelling of the spoutis to the mill ark 1653 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 264.
The towne … to caus cutt the craig at the waik mylne that the water may the better pas 1667 Irvine Mun. II. 211.
To sie … that ther be no unsufficient staines brocht fra the craig

2. Rock as a material. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 5/21.
War nocht the passage and stremes ar sa … full of crag & clynt 1608 Glasgow B. Rec. II. 558.
The … claring the watter of Clyde of sandis, craig, stanis [etc.] 1646 Tulliallan Coal Wks. 213.
5 fadom and 5 quartirs off ane ell of craig