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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

STRAND, n.² Also stran, strawn, straun, strahn, stron. Dim. strandie. [strɑn(d), wm.Sc. strǫn]

1. A little stream or run of water, a rivulet (Per. 1925 J. Meikle Places round Alyth 191, strandie; Lnk., sm.Sc. 1971); also of other liquids, and fig.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 280:
Children oft with carefu' Hands, In Summer dam up little Strands, Collect the Drizel to a Pool.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 8:
In bonny hinni'd fields, by whose door-stane Braid strans o' butter rin.Peb. 1815 A. Pennecuik Tweeddale 296:
The town of Peebles originally extended from Eddlestone water westward to the meadow well strand.Dmf. 1830 W. Bennet Traits Sc. Life II. 29:
Didna the chaise gang ower the brow at the strawn'?Rnf. 1838 A. Crawfurd Johnshill Lands 4:
A strand is a wee burn, or a streimlet fra rain.Ags. 1879 G. W. Donald Poems 8:
Strands, and strypes, like burns, were Bockin'.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 61, 132:
The sweet rinnin doon his face in stran's. . . Up the burns tae naur the heid, whaur they were joost strauns.

2. An artificial water-channel or gutter, a street gutter (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Rnf. 1962 Stat. Acc.³ 319; n.Sc., em.Sc. (a), Rnf. 1971); the gutter behind the stalls in a cowshed (n.Sc., em.Sc. (a) 1971). Comb. ¶strand-scouring, searching the gutters for anything that may be picked up.Gsw. 1718 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1909) 12:
The sinks, strands and aqueducts under these covers do frequently stop and restagnat.Edb. 1745 Session Papers, Cairny v. Husband (4 Jan.) 3:
He saw the Complainer instantly fall in the Strand on his Back.Sc. 1786 Scots Mag. (Sept.) 461:
Not to encroach on the pavement, but to keep entirely upon the street, and within the strand or water-run.Rnf. 1807 R. Tannahill Poems (1900) 108:
The strawns gush'd big — the sinks loud ruml'd.Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel xv.:
They will help him bravely to grope in the gutters . . . if they have any luck in strand-scouring.Sc. 1829 P. Halkerston Techn. Terms 257:
Salisbury Crags, St Anthony's Chapel, King's Park, Palace, Palace-yard, &c. to the strand at the foot of the Canongate.Per. 1830 Perthshire Advert. (14 Jan.):
The Close be-north the Gutter Strand.Fif. 1842 Justiciary Reports (1844) 317:
She came out of the front door . . . forward the length of the strand.Peb. 1887 J. Veitch Nature in Sc. Poetry I. 273:
Strand is still used in Scotland for the bed of the open sewer in a town.wm.Sc. 1917 H. Foulis Jimmy Swan 282:
The straun in front of a country shop.Bnff. 1923 Banffshire Jnl. (29 May) 5:
Oot cam Peterie heelstergowdie in the strahn.Per. 1938 J. Macdonald Old Callander 152:
Instead of the modern kerb and gutter, the natural ditch or “strand” between the street and the side walk.Mry. 1969 Northern Scot (15 Feb.) 4:
Walkin' on the pavement's rim Wi' ae fut in the straun.

Deriv. strandie, strannie, (1) a game of marbles played by progression along a street gutter (Abd. 1957); (2) the taw or line, orig. and freq. the gutter, from which the players fired their marbles across the pavement at the target at the foot of a house wall (Dmf. 1910).(1) Ags. 1934 G. M. Martin Dundee Worthies 177:
The “Noup” or “Strandie” was played in the gutter way or strand and was simply an effort to hit your nearest opponent's “bool.”