A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1375-1400, 1499-1605
[1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
Crafty, Craftie, a. Also: craftye, craiftie. [ME. crafty, OE. cræftiᵹ.]
1. Of persons, the mind, etc.: Skilful, ingenious, clever.1375 Barb. x. 359 (E. a crafty man and a curious). a1400 Legends of the Saints vi. 40 (the maste crafty of that land). c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 516 (of arte of the wysemen crafty). a1500 Henr. Fab. 394 (the foxe … craftie and cautelous). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxviii. 30 (a gude crafty telȝour). 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 423 (all his cuyr and crafty engyne). 1513 Ib. vii. iii. 64 (ymagis … carvyt with crafty hand). 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxxviii (be crafty industre of man). 1531 Ib. II. 298 (richt crafty masonis). 1568 Pref. Lyndesay 4 (quhairin he was craftie and excellent). a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 98 (mair sweitlie nor craftie Amphion).
2. Skilfully or ingeniously made or composed.a1400 Legends of the Saints xliv. 338 (hire frendis … mad a crafty kirke). c1400 Troy-bk. i. 338 (palais … mare crafty saw thai neuir). 1513 Doug. ix. v. 99 (the crafty ancyant flacconys). 1513 Ib. xii. Prol. 25 (fowlys wirkand crafty nestis). 1531 Bell. Boece I. 233 (in maist crafty music).1533 Id. Livy I. 7 (be thair crafty eloquence). c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2096 (ane tempyll … off crafty work).1568 Pref. Lyndesay 3 (craftie and ingenious poeticall inuentionis).
b. Skilfully performed.1513 Doug. i. i. 24.
Maist expert in crafty fait of weir 1567 Satirical Poems iii. 22.
To meit his marrow … with craftie feat of weir
c. As adv. Skilfully, with art.1513 Doug. v. Prol. 31.
The hie wysdome … Of myne author … makis me almaist forvay, So crafty wrocht hys wark is
3. Full of craft or cunning; guileful.c1552 Lynd. Mon. 894 (the subtellest aboue all beistis and craftyest). c1552 Ib. 898 (imagenyng sum craftye wyle). 1558-66 Knox II. 285 (the crafty Papist). a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS cxi. 29 (be craiftie meynis and desait). 1585 Reg. Privy C. III. 758 (sik craftie and unupricht dealing).