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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RANK, v., n. Also runk; renk. Sc. usages:

I. v. 1. Sc. Law: to place a creditor in his due place on the list of accredited claimants to the realised estate of a bankrupt (Sc. 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 72). Vbl.n. ranking, the formation of a list of accredited claimants, esp. in phr. ranking and sale, the process whereby a bankrupt estate is sold and the price divided among the creditors according to their rights and preferences (Ib.), now almost obs.Fif. 1700 A. M. Houston Auchterderran (1924) 165:
He saw the bond and papers of adjudication upon Cardon in Robt. Cunningham's hand, who is clerk in the ranking of the creditors on that estate.Sc. 1722 W. Forbes Institutes I. ii. 214:
The Ordinary who in a Process of Sale and Ranking assigns a Day for the Creditors to produce their Rights and Interests, doth at the same Time name the Lord who falls to be Ordinary for ranking them.Abd. 1750 Abd. Journal (13 Feb.):
The Creditors of Alexander Farquhar, Merchant in Fraserburgh, are desired to give in the Grounds of their Debts with the whole Diligence thereon . . . that they may be ranked, and receive their equal Dividends conform to the Roup of his Effects.Sc. 1810 Scots Mag. (March) 176:
The extract of decreets of Certification in processes of ranking and sale is superfluous, and ought to be discontinued.Sc. 1859 J. Lorimer Handbk. Law Scot. (1862) 307:
All arrestments and poindings . . . shall be ranked pari passu.Sc. 1932 Encycl. Laws Scot. XIII. 429:
The whole estate when reduced into money, . . . is to be divided among those who were creditors of the bankrupt at the date of the sequestration, ranked according to their several rights and interests.

2. tr. and refl.: (1) to get ready, prepare, arrange, esp. to dress (oneself) before going out (ne.Sc. 1967). Adj. rankit dressed, spruced up.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxvi.:
Ye'll baith rank yersel's enoo and be ready in richt tnme to gae up to the Hoose.Abd. 1880 W. Robbie Glendornie xv.:
A few mornings after this trap had been “rankit”, he had the satisfaction of catching one of his troublesome visitors by the hind legs.Abd. 1882 T. Mair John o' Arnha's Latter-Day Exploits 33:
And ower his legs had Arn rankit A harl o' chips by wye o' blanket.Abd. 1913 G. Greig Mains Again 15:
Noo, Peter man. ye'll get yersel' runkit and gang fit for leg this vera nicht to Braeside.Abd. 1920 A. Robb MS. ii., xi.:
I wis gettin' the claes oot o' my bag an gettin' them runkit for morning'. . . . Fat wye does he think that I'm gaun to rank a bed at this time o' nicht?Abd. 1941 C. Gavin Black Milestone vi.:
Wouldn't ye be better to chip on and get yourself rankit, for fear they come early?

(2) with out: to prepare for use, to lay out in readiness, get ready (ne.Sc. 1967).ne.Sc. 1823 William Mackie compiler, ed. David Stevenson The Diary of a Canny Man (1991) 120:
This morning the storm is still increased and very deep now. Wreaths are from four to six feet deep and has every appearance of a growing storm. Have ranked out man with a cart and two horses to take home my wife from Old Meldrum, and from tempestuousness of the day looks to be a difficult work, ...Kcd. 1844 W. Jamie Muse 100:
Rank out your powder and your lead.Abd. 1887 Bon-Accord (4 June) 20:
Rankin' oot Petrie's sklate an' skyllie, I sat doon to carry oot my intention o' vreetin' a skreed o' poetrie.Abd. 1920 G. P. Dunbar Peat Reek 25:
Syne he runkit oot his birn o' beuks.Abd. 1961 People's Jnl. (16 Sept.) 11:
She rinkit oot her bike an' set awa.

II. n. 1. In St Andrews University: a place in the order of merit given to students at the end of the class work of the academic year, and before the degree examinations. The other Scottish Universities use class.Fif. 1866 St. Andrews Gazette (21 April):
First Humanity Class. — First Rank. — John F. Ewing, Dundee; Robert K. Moncrieff, Arbroath; . . . Second Rank. — David Bruce, St. Andrews: William Davidson, Jedburgh.Sc. 1919–20 St. Andrews Univ. Cal. 74:
If he was in the first rank of Honours during his previous attendance.

2. Of a stone: the gype or grain (Per. 1967).Abd.⁴ 1930:
“Oh, weel, fin we split a steen we ken the rank o' 't.” The rank's the grain.

3. A fishing ground (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)). Comb. ranksman, (one of) a fishing boat crew who have agreed to fish in company with another fishing boat and divide the price of the catches equally at the time of settlement (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., Sh. 1967).Sh. 1898 Shetland News (25 June, 10 Sept.):
Takkin' your aer — a saxern aer, i' your haand, an' kjaempin' fornenst a ranksman, frae da shore ta da deep water. . . . “Men, I see a boat!” “Wir ranksmen”, Paetie said.Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.:
Ranksman, one of two boats which keep company at sea for conmpanionship or for help in case of need.

4. In Curling: = Rink, n., phs. simply a misprint.Lnk. 1771 Weekly Mag. (7 Feb.) 180:
When, wandering wide, the stone neglects the rank And stops midway.

5. A preliminary setting in order or tidying up of objects in preparation for use (Abd. 1967). Cf. v., 2.Abd. 1892 J. Smith Hame-Spun Rhymes 25:
As seen's our drappie out we drank, An' our bit budget's gi'en a rank For the pay-house again we set.