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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CRIB, Crab, n.³, v. Also krib-. Met. forms of Eng. curb or kerb (cf. Crub, n.¹, v.¹) in sense of:

1. n.

(1) A kerbstone, the edge of the pavement (Fif.¹⁰, Kcb.¹⁰ 1941). Also dim. cribbie.Dundee 2000 Ellie McDonald Pathfinder 8:
Ye cudnae tell hou auld the Mini wis,
its burnt out shell abandoned at the cribbie.
A Dundee double whammy:
Setterday nicht joyride an boney.Ags. 1925 (per Ags.¹⁰):
He stood at the cribbie for a long time watching the traffic.

Comb.: crib-stane, crab-, krib-, the edge of the pavement (Sc. 1887 Jam.², crab-; Abd.²⁷ 1947; Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn., crib-).Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 37:
He cam' thrash doon on the kribstane.

(2) A coping or top, a raised rim (Bch. 1910 (per Abd.¹¹)); ? a wall-plate (in 1738 quot.).Sc. 1743 R. Maxwell Select Trans. 287:
You must have a large Boiler, with a Crib in it.Abd. 1738 Monymusk Papers (S.H.S. 1945) 15:
15 pas of riafs and pans and crabs and tel post cabars of both sides.

†(3) A curb for a horse.Lnk. 1827 J. Watt Poems 100:
Aff wi' the huntsman they'd a' scampered, — Wi' crib an' bit nae langer hamper'd.

2. v. To curb or check. Also vbl.n. cribbin', a kerbstone (Kcb.¹⁰ 1941).Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 13:
Ae day, fair contermit, wi ae breenge Curra escaped unnoticed throw the hedge, fas thick growth cribbit in his ain gairden.Lnk. 1827 J. Watt Poems 103:
Who ay are friends to grace and truth, An' to crib vice ay ready.