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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

CRUB, KRUB(B), Krobb, n.², v.²

1. n.

(1) A crib for cattle, a trough (Sc. 1911 S.D.D.; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., krubb; Abd. c.1930 (per Mry.²)). Also in Eng. dial. (E.D.D.).Abd. 1906 J. Christie in Bnffsh. Jnl. (19 June) 2:
Come Muse, and sing the local vricht Wha barrows, cairts, an' crubs made ticht.

(2) A small enclosure, a little yard, esp. one for growing cabbage-plants (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., krubb; 1908 Jak. (1928), krobb; 1914 Angus Gl., krub). Also dim. krubbie, “a place or hole in which potatoes, etc., are covered up” (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.). Cf. Crue, n. (2).Sh. 1928 J. Gray in Sh. Times (14 July) 3/5:
Here was I, biggid aboot wi daeks laek a planti crub, an da nicht watch-woman inside.

Comb.: crubdyke, idem.Sh.(D) 1877 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 6:
Whin I'm passin' crubdykes, muckle grey stanes, or hill-folks' knowes.

2. v. Found only in ppl.adj. crubbit, krubbet, krubbit, narrow, confined, lacking space (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; 1908 Jak. (1928); 1914 Angus Gl., krubbet).Sh. 1908 J. M. E. Saxby in Old-Lore Misc. I. viii. 312:
And you were “krubbit” when you were inconveniently crowded.Sh.(D) 1931 J. J. H. Burgess in Shet. Almanac 187:
Efter a lock o' humbuggin' an' strampin' on een anidder's taes i' da crubbit hoose, we gaddered wis oot at lent, ipo da brig stanes afore da door.ne.Sc. 1994 Alastair Mackie in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 93-4:
Doun the close and up the stane stairs and into the unforgettable foosty stink o the room wi the lie-ins that made the space crubbit, whaur the furniture could streek its linth but ye were fair pit till't to get a seat in comfort.