A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Crab, Craib, n.1 Also: crabbe, crabe. [ME. crab, crabbe, OE. crabba.]
1. A crab.1337 Rot. Scotiæ 492/1.]
[De quadam piscaria vocata Crabwater 1456 Hay II. 129/22.
As the crabbe gais be semblance backwart, sa dois the sonne fra thyne furth 1683 Coll. Aberd. & B. 100.
Of shell fishes we have the lobster, the partan … , the craib. The craib differs from the partan in nothing, but that it is of a greenish colour [etc.]
2. The zodiacal sign of Cancer.a1500 Henr. Fab. 631.
Venus [in] the Crab, the Mone wes in Aquarie c1475 Wall. ix. 16.
Jupiter was in the Crabbis face c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 206 b.
The sone … againe his cours vpvart he takis Vnto the crabe
