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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.

Croun(e, Crown(e, n. Also: crowin, -un, crwin. [ME. croun(e, crown(e, earlier crune, shortened from coroune, corune, AF. coroune, OF. corune, -one, L. corōna. See also Cron(e n.]

1. A crown; esp. that of a king or queen.Frequently in phrases to bere the croune, under or with croune.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxviii. 598.
Than com a dou of hevin fleand … & in the neb brocht a croun 1456 Hay I. 14/14.
His awin propir croun of his hede that is callit the dyademe Ib. 215/34.
The first king that ever bare croune in Fraunce c1450-2 Howlat 294.
Cruell kingis with crovne, and dukis but dreid 1490 Irland Mir. I. 102/22.
In hir crovne was a precius stane of gret dignite c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 81.
Thir mychti quenis in crounis mycht be sene Ib. lxxvii. 33.
Syne the Bruce … Thow gart as roy cum rydand vnder croun 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xi.
In this regioun is ane carnell of stanis, liand togiddir in maner of ane croun 15.. Clar. iv. 2616.
All bair heided, saiffand he hade on his croune 1549 Compl. 68/23.
Sche hed ane croune of gold, hingand & brangland 1560 Rolland Seven S. 8631.
He precellit all vther that bure croun 1590 Treas. Acc. MS. 198.
Reid cramosie sating to the bonnet of hir maiesties croun 1596 Dalr. I. 78/28.
Vpon his heid is sett the kings croune 1604 Craig i. 14.
Proud Leo spoyld Justinian his croune, Deform'd his face, and cut his nose quite doune(b) c1420 Wynt. v. 4379.
He wes made kyng of Brettane hale, And set apon hys hevyd the crowne Ib. vi. 368; etc.
Pypyne for hys gret renowne Kyng wes made, and bare the crowne 1461 Liber Plusc. 393.
O Prince, think quhi thi crown was giffin thé til, Thi swerd, thi ceptir a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1417.
King David berand crowne, Ryngand as roy in gret regalite 1513 Doug. vii. vii. 36.
Wylt thou suffir … thy ceptre and crown delyuerit be [etc.] a1578 Pitsc. II. 193/11.
Ane paintted wreitting with ane marmaidden and ane crowne on hir heid

b. A crown as the symbol of royal power; hence, royal power or office, sovereignty; the person of the sovereign.(a) 1456 Hay I. 2/27.
To the haly croun of Fraunce in the quhilk this day regnys Charles the Sext of that name Ib. II. 164/20.
Be thame mon thou be crownyt and thy croune uphaldyn and mayntenyt c1475 Wall. i. 64.
Full sutailly he chargit thaim … till hald of hym the croun Ib. xi. 966.
Besekand him to cum and tak his croun a1500 Bk. Chess 2039.
As the chekker schawis ws this tovne, Richt so it maye the kinrik & the crovne a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 265.
Quhen Bruce and Balioll differit for the croun 1513 Doug. viii. viii. 116.
Offerand to me the ceptre and the crovn Of al thar realme 1562-3 Winȝet I. 115/10.
That mony desyris the kirk landis … to be appropriat to the croun 1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 567.
Myndand na thing ellis bot to … bereve him of his croun a1578 Pitsc. I. 53/1.
The forsaidis personns war forfalltit and denuncit rebellis to the croun 1596 Conv. Burghs I. 493.
The King of France is nocht ȝit estabilishit in his croun 1622-6 Bisset II. 191/11.
To assist him to attene agane to the croun of Scotland 1711 Conv. Burghs IV. 513.
The ancient duty of assise or sise fish, … belonging to the Croun, … hes never been profitable to the Croun(b) c1420 Wynt. iii. 722.
His oys wes mare wytht rok to spyne Than landys to the crowne to wyne 1461 Liber Plusc. 400.
War it in France, men wald … nocht bow to thi crown 1533 Boece xii. vi. 463 b.
I beleif this man … sall neuer to the crowne be obeysant 1560 Rolland Seven S. 10682.
The fault it is leis maiestie, Done in contrair the Crownis dignitie 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 25.
Sic men as hes na pretens of successioun to the crown a1578 Pitsc. I. 190/15.
He murdreist thame baith crwelie and vsurpit the crowne of Inglandattrib. 1569 6th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. 656/1.
The crwin jowellis, guidis, and gere

2. a. A wreath or garland, esp. as crowning a victor; hence fig., victory, superiority. c1420 Wynt. iv. Prol. 10, 13.
A garland as a crowne sulde be Wndyrstandyn … A takyn off wyrschype, state, or hycht. The crowne wes gyvyn for wyctory Ib. viii. 2650.
Lang or the sowne [= sun] yhed down The Scottis men thare wan the crown a1500 Henr. Fab. 456.
Of craftie crawing he micht beir the croun 1490 Irland Mir. I. 54/10.
We forge to us the croune of eternall glore 1513 Doug. iii. viii. 37.
My fader … A mekil tankart with wyne fild … , And tharon set a garland or a crown c1552 Lynd. Mon. 4406.
Two and thretty gude papis in Rome, Ressauit the crown of martyrdome

b. The crown of thorns. 1375 Barb. iii. 460.
He … wan the naylis, and the sper, And the croune, that Iesu couth ber a1500 Henr. III. 162/23.
O blissit Iesu, that wore the thorny croun a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 603.
Apoun his heid the crowne of thorne thai threw c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxii. 108.
Remembrance … crose and nalis … And bludy crowne befoir me kest 1567 G. Ball. 44.
Thay … for scorne Him crownit with ane crowne of thorne

c. A paper or parchment crown. 1581 Inverness B. Rec. I. 290.
In sing and teaking of her lesing making scho beris ane crowne testefeand the samyn

d. A crown in stone or wood-work. c1650 Spalding I. 31.
Ane gryt storme … threw doun the staitlie croun, biggit of curious ashler wark, af of the steipill of the kingis college Ib. II. 217.
It wes ane weill wrocht peice, haueing thrie crounes vppermost, and thrie vther kynd of crounes beneth

3. A circle of hair; a clerical tonsure. a1400 Leg. S. i. 157.
The feloune folk … On his hewid schufe hym a crowne Ib. 162.
Efterwart he ordanyt swa, At all clerkis sic crownis suld ta

4. The top of the head; the poll. c1420 Wynt. iv. 2557.
Mayre or aldyrman … ilke man cauld be hys crowne, And gert hym lay his trewage downe c1475 Wall. iii. 364.
Wallace tharwith has tane him on the croune c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 88.
Thow sall recryat, or thy croun sall cleif Id. Tua Mar. W. 103.
Thocht I croce me all cleine fra the croun doun 1513 Doug. ii. xi. 7.
The top of litill Ascanyus hed, … from the sched of his crown, Schane al of lycht Ib. iv. v. 136.
Atlas, baryng On his crown the hevyn 1540 Lynd. Sat. 800 (B).
Thow hes wat all my new schevin croun Ib. 845.
Quhat is ȝour name, schir, with the clippit croun c1552 Id. Mon. 4568.
The Popis floke, … Ar knawin best be thare clyppit crounis 1570 Sat. P. xx. 173.
Gar cow his crowne, or put him doun 1581 Hamilton Cath. Tr. 84.
As the greuis ar ordanit to put thame in ordor, and knok the crounis of thame quha ar misreulie

b. The highest part (of the causeway). 1670 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 145.
From the croune of the calsie to the drope of … their respective foir tenementis of land

5. One or other of various gold coins (chiefly of French origin) current from the latter part of the 15th century:

a. Franche croune, etc., the French gold écu. 1450 Antiq. Aberd. & B. II. 344.
Fourty pundis of Scots payment or els threescore of golden crownis of French gold 1451 Acts (1597) 33 b.
The crown of France hauand a crowned flowre-deluce on ilk side of the scheild 1468 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. App. viii. 143.
The franche crowne of gold [to pass] for allewing schillingis 1473 Hist. Chapel Royal p. xv.
A Franche croune and half a ros noble 1493 Halyb. 4.
Ilk Frans croun may be contyt to 5 s. 8 g'. in my cont 1503 Treas. Acc. II. 406.
To twa Inglis allocayis, quhen tha passit away, xx Franch crounis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3667.
The haill knawledge thairof thay suld expreme … For ane ducat or ȝit ane Frenche croun

b. Croun of the sone (or sunne), the French gold écu bearing the figure of the sun.(a) 1496 Treas. Acc. I. 302.
To Wat Merlioune, the masone, xx Franch crovnis of the sone 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 234.
Ane croun of the sone, and tua grottis 1550 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 148.
Ane croune of the sone to be payit be the said dene of gild to ilkane of tham yeirlie 1573 Reg. Privy S. II. 270.
Twentie scoir of crounis of the sone, price of the pece xxxvi s. 1591 Fam. Rose 280.
In ane quhyte ledder purs in pois, fywe crounes of the sunne 1598 Acts IV. 175/2.
The croun of the sone … at iij li. iij s. iiij d. 1611 Reg. Great S. 200/1.
Ane croun of the sone of gold 1634 Ib. 2/2.
Ane croune of the sunne (vel 5 merc.)(b) 1531 Reg. Soltre 105.
The said provest sall giff … to the said Ihone thua crownis of the sonne in his purs to helpe his honeste 1556 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 260.
vj crownis of the sone to be gevin to the officeris ischaris of the Quenis chalmer duir 1574 Reg. Privy C. II. 329.
[Reckoning] the crown of the sone for fyftie thre soublz deliverit within this realme a1578 Pitsc. I. 364/7.
He sould content and pay to him … the sowme of ane hunder thowsand crouns of the sone 1590 Reg. Privy C. IV. 514.
His Hienes sal have thre crownis of the sone or the avale of thame of everie tun of … Spaynish wynis 1622-6 Bisset II. 225/10.
Ten crownis of the sone sall appertene to the maryneris

c. Without defining term. (Usually the French crown.)(a) 1482 Edinb. Chart. 168.
Of Rynch wyne, becaus of greit steikis, of ilk crovn as it is to be bocht ij d. 1497 Dunferm. B. Rec. 77.
It is fvnd be assis that the borcht of fif crovnys is avale 1539 Treas. Acc. VII. 163.
Ane uthir carkane weyand viij crounis v granis a1540 Freiris Berwik 317.
Ȝit wald I gif ane croun of gold for me For sum gud meit and drink 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3755.
For ȝour wage I sall ȝow gif ane croun a1578 Pitsc. I. 174/16.
Ane great chenȝie of gould … to the awaillour of v^c crounes 1598 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 219.
[The council] ordanis the thesaurer to pay … to him ane croune for the banket day(b) 1488 Lanark B. Rec. 4.
That the xxti crownis that was gewin to my lord of Angus be tan of the common gudis 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5915.
Se for na coist ȝe spair, … Howbeit ȝe gif ane thousand crownes thairfoir a1578 Pitsc. II. 272/2.
Thair come furth of France and Flanderis to the support of the castell ten thowsand crownis 1583 Sat. P. xlv. 434.
Auld creased workes payit with crackit crownes

d. Croun of wecht, a crown of full or standard weight. c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxvi. 78.
Vpon the heid of it is hecht Bayth unicornis, and crownis of wecht 1507 Charter (Reg. H.) No. 709.
The sowme of ane hundreth crounis of gold wecht 1535 Maxwell Mem. I. 264.
Twenty crownis of the sone and wecht 1536 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 222.
The sovme of sewyntene scoire of merkis in gold of angell nobillis, crovnis of weicht, unycornis [etc.] 1549 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 269.
The said Andro to haue for his labouris … fourty crownis of the sone of weycht 1553 Lanark B. Rec. 28.
He wantit na mair mony nor tua crounis of weycht and tua bawbeis

e. With various defining terms, as of the egle, king, rose, abay croun, etc. 1451 Acts (1597) 33 b.
The crown of France … and the Dolphin crowne, ilk ane of them hauand course for sex shillinges aucht pennies 1532 Acta Conc. MS. I. 44.
Thair is gret murmur risin … tuiching the money, in speciale anentis crownis of the egle 1536 Antiq. Aberd. & B. III. 222.
In gold of angell nobillis, … unycornis and Leitht crovnis 1560 Stirling Merch. Guild 75.
Thre crownis of the rois, thre abay crownis 1561 Edinb. B. Deeds 14.
Thrie ryderis, … ane abaye croune, thrie crownes of the kyng c 1578 Maxwell Mem. I. 311.
Ane vnicorne halff crowne, … ane pistolatt crowne, ane fyif actyoun croune (1611) Balfour Ann. II. 37–8.
The … pice of golde, called the Double Croune, to passe at 11 shil. starling; … the Brittane Croune, to passe at 5 shill. 6 d.; … the Thissell Croune, to passe at 4 sh. 4 d. ob.