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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.

Crag, Crage, Craig, n.² Also: cragg; craige, craigg, kraig. [MDu. craghe (Du. kraag), MLG. and MHG. krage. Also in later northern English (1579).]

1. The neck (of a person).(a) c1420 Wynt. v. 2307.
On his crag, or on hys face, … Ay hys a fute he walde set c1475 Wall. ii. 112.
The thrid he straik throuch his pissand of maile, The crag in twa Ib. ix. 1927.
Braid breyst and heych, with sturdy crag and gret 1496 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 59.
The said William sall offir and present his crag to the goyf a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 368.
Thou hes a wedy teuch … about thy crag to rax 1513 Doug. xi. xv. 142.
Sche … Hyr sowpil crag inclynand and nek bayn, Bowyt dovn hyr hed 1542 Elgin Rec. I. 70.
Thomas Ayir wrangit in the … pulling of the said Dauid Gaw be the crag 1568 Skeyne Breve Descr. 31.
Oyntand the … crag, and quhar heuyest diseis apperis, supportis greitumlie 1597 Misc. Spald. C. I. 133.
He schew thy mark vnder thy left lug, in thy crag 1600-1610 Melvill 308.
His arrow … lightes upon a auld honest man … and hurts him in the crag c1650 Spalding II. 75.
He ... hang ane suord about his crag(b) c1420 Wynt. v. 2293 (C).
On his crage or on his face c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2926.
He his crage straik ewyn in two c1475 Wall. i. 408.
With the swerd awkwart he … his crage in sondre drawe 1531 Bell. Boece II. 179.
Thay covir thair heid and thair cragis, evin to thair schulderis 1549 Compl. 101/32.
Ve sal put ȝour cragis in ane ȝoik(c) 1535 Stewart 213.
With cumlie craig that wes bayth greit and fair Ib. 36859.
His helme … On to his craig it closit nocht richt weill 1560 Rolland Seven S. 9171.
Als sure as standis on craig this heid of mine a1568 (Flemyng) Bann. MS. 161 a/79.
I [had] lever … his craig had gottin a crak Our the heicht of the stair a1578 Pitsc. I. 175/7.
The earle of Angus … pullit the gold chinȝie frome his craige 1585 James I Ess. 43.
Her craig was like the yallowe burnisht gold 1592 Lanark B. Rec. 109.
Jhone Cudbert … straik and bludit the said Gawin on the craig with ane suord 1602 Shetland Sheriff Ct. 10 b.
Thay … to be taine and hangit be the craige 1623 Peebles Gleanings 17.
Marioun tuik her be the craig and pullit her under her feit 1640 Misc. Abbotsf. C. 167.
Ȝe brought with ȝow the Trowis glove, and folded the same about the said Jonet's craige, and the byle brak 1661 Carnegie Lett. 350.
I was surprysed with the gutt … in my head, craig, showlderis, and wther pairts of my body 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. (1699) 235.
He … struck him in the head, craig, shoulders, and side

2. The neck of an animal, esp. as part of a carcass. 1531 Bell. Boece I. 48.
The heid of every ox that was slane was gevin to the smith … ; the crag, to the forester of the wod 1533 Boece xiii. viii. 515.
Ane kow … brocht furth hir birth, quhilk had the crag & hede of ane calf 1545 Stirling B. Rec. I. 40.
That Jonet Robene [fleschour] … salbe tholit to have seruand to brek the cragis to be sald to puir bodijs 1572 Inverness B. Rec. I. 214.
Quhilk oxe … brak his crag … in the calling of ane wther yok of oxin on his bak of forse 1586 Edinb. Test. XVI. 42.
xxxv craiges of hydes, … xxv wambes of hydis 1631 Aberd. B. Rec. III. 37.
Neither sall it be lesum to any flesher … to spuilzie the caircages of beiff or muttone in the craig 1637 Ann. Banff I. 81.
Muttoune … on the pairt of the craig or schoulder cuttit frome the bodye to be confiscat

3. The neck of a garment. 1566 Treas. Acc. MS. 37.
xviij elnis of small lynnyng to be cragis and ruffis 1580 Ib. 18.
Lynnyng bukrem to the nekkis and craigis [of gowns] 1618 Edinb. Test. I. 165.
Fyftene cloik craigis buttonis at xij s. the pece

4. The neck of a golf-club. 1638 Adamson Muses Thr. 18.
And ye my clubs, you must … hing your heads, and bow your crooked crags

5. Attrib. with bane, buttone, cheinȝie, clath (cloath, etc.), napkin. a1500 Henr. Fab. 2578.
Than be the cragbane smertlie he him tuke c1475 Wall. ii. 54.
His crag bayne was brokyn in that stede — 1632 Edinb. Test. LV. 255 b.
Tuentie twa silk craig buttones at aucht shillinges the peice — 1591 Crim. Trials I. 252.
In taikin quhairof ȝe gaif him ane craig cheinȝie — 1651 Stirling B. Rec. II. 308.
For two craigcloathes to him 1668 Edinb. Test. LXXIII. 204.
5 napkens, 5 craigclaths, 3 bands 1685 Depred. Clan Campbell (1816) 114.
Twenty craig-cloaths and cravatts for men — 1645 Edinb. Test. LXI. 145.
Fyve craig napkines, twa pair bands 1659 Brechin Test. VI. 179 b.
Tuo suitte of ilke dayes cleathes, with curches [and] craig napkins both for the weike day and sabboth day