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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

CRUISIE, CRU(I)ZIE, CRUSIE, Crus(e)y, Creuzie, Croozie, Croosie, Cruizey, Craizy, Cru(i)se, n. Sometimes used attrib. with lamp. [′krø:zi, ′kru:zi Sc., but Fif., Ayr. + ′kre:zi, w.Per. ′kri:zi. See E, letter.]

1. An old-fashioned iron lamp with a rush wick, formed of two boat-shaped bowls placed one above the other and attached to a bar suspended from a nail in the wall. The fish-oil dripped from the smaller bowl into the larger (Cai.⁴ c.1920, crusie-lamp; Abd. 1900 A. Paterson in Bnffsh. Jnl. (19 June) 3, cruisie; Ags. 1848 W. Gardiner Flora of Frf. 182, crusey). Sometimes pieces of moleskin formed the wick (Ayr.⁴ 1928, cruise, cruisie, craizy). Gen.Sc., obsol.Sc. 1821 Scott Pirate xvii.:
A pint o't wad be worth siller, to light the cruse in the lang dark nights.Sc. 1892 Blackwood's Mag. (Oct.) 487:
The croosie . . . a triangular metal saucer with an upright hook at the base to be hung by.Ork. c.1912 J. Omond Ork. 80 Years Ago 20:
Thrashing in the barn with flails by the light of the cruizie, or in some cases candles.Ags. 1899 J. M. Barrie W. in Thrums xi.:
I've seen them climbin' on the new steadin', crawlin' alang the rafters haudin' their cruizey lamps afore them.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin vii.:
My mither had agreed wi' him to place the cruzie in the gavel winnock to guide him through the mire.Edb. 1851 A. Maclagan Sk. Nature 231:
The ingle cheek is bleezin' bricht, The croozie sheds a cheerfu' licht.Kcb. 1885 A. J. Armstrong Friend and Foe 24:
She lighted a fresh cruisie, and soon disappeared from the kitchen to fish from . . . an oaken cupboard “a sonsie tappit hen.”

2. †(1) “A sort of triangular candlestick made of iron, with one or more sockets for holding the candle, with the edges turned up on all three sides” (Dmf. 1825 Jam.², crusie, crusy).

(2) “A stand with three legs upholding a lamp” (Dmf. 1894 J. Shaw in Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 144).

(3) (See quot.)Bnff. 1920 J. Taylor Cabrach Feerings 63:
Light [for poaching salmon] was given by a “cruisie,” an iron basket in which “knabs,” resinous fir roots dug out of the moss, were burned.

†3. “A crucible, or hollow piece of iron used for melting metals” (s.Sc. 1825 Jam.²); “a long ladle for melting lead in. The lead was poured out of it into moulds or caulms for shot when country people had assembled for the purpose of shooting for a pig, the best shots securing the best parts of the animal” (Dmf. 1894 J. Shaw in Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 144, creuzie).