Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Crabit, Crabbit, Craibit, a. Also: crabyt, crabed; crawbit, crabbid; craibet, craibbit. [ME. crabbed (14th c.), crabbid, -yd, possibly f. Crab n.¹] Ill-natured; in bad humour; cross.(a) a1400 Leg. S. xxii. 786.
Sume men sais he crabyt is Ib. xlv. 65.
Sa that the lafe nocht crabyt be ?1438 Alex. ii. 2081.
Of eld it is the richt For to be crabed day and nicht c1460 Consail Wys Man 365.
With crabyt men hald na cumpany a1500 Prestis of Peblis 1068.
The Deuil of Hell now mot me hing And I compeir befoir that crabit King c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 445.
At langage of lichory I leit as I war crabit 1535 Stewart 2037.
Cruell and crabit, and cankerit of kynd Ib. 12956.
Crabit as Saturne, full of crudelitie 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 220.
The towin off Berwek ar werray crabyt at this 1557 Haddington Corr. 263.
The commendatour, as apperit be his wult, … grew crawbit 1570 Sat. P. xxiv. 28.
Bot thow [art] … Crabit but cause, and caryit by thy sensis a1605 Montg. Son. lxix. 10.
Four crabit crippilis crackand in our crouch 1600-1610 Melvill 218.
The saise [= assise] wald nocht fyll him, wherat the Court was verie crabit 1684 Glamis Bk. Rec. 26.
Litle would have offended the old crabed man(b) c1500-c1512 Dunb. G. Targe 115.
Thare saw I crabbit Saturn ald and haire Id. Tua Mar. W. 227.
I cast on him a crabbit e 1534 Melville Chart. 71.
Fy one ye, Ihone Vallanche, … and thane Pettedy woux crabbit c1550 Rolland C. Venus iii. 491.
Becaus Sanct Iohne … it repreuit, King Herod crabbit was 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 81.
The king come … to the preitching, and Iohne Knox preachit; quharat he was crabbit a1598 Fergusson Prov. (1641) 5 b.
Crabbit was, and cause had(c) 1562-3 Winȝet I. 4/14.
To present our … ressoning to the craibit rewlaris foresaidis a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 353.
Lo, quhat it is … With fraward langage for to mufe and steir Our craibit Goddis 1582 Waus Corr. I. 247.
The king and duik wes verrie craibit with it 1596 Dalr. II. 347/7.
Til her scho alluiret thame partlie with fair promises, partlie with craibet, busteous, and sour wordes