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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1831-1922

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APRIN, AWPRON, A(a)pron, Aupron, Ahpron, n. Sc. (esp. ne.Sc.) forms of apron. [′ɑ:prən, ′ɑprɪn]

1. In ordinary sense.ne.Sc. 1881 W. Gregor Folk-Lore N.E. Scot. 156:
A blacksmith would on almost no consideration work on Christmas — in common language, "file his ahpron."
Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 122:
There's the masons, wi' cockit hatties an' auprons.
Bnff. 1922 The Uninspired Peat, Banffsh. Jnl. (Feb. 21) 6:
But I'll jist dicht them on my ahpron.
Abd.(D) 1915 H. Beaton At the Back o' Benachie 31:
I hae fesen a puckle duds in ma aapron.

2. (See quot.)Bnff. 1866 Gregor D.Bnff. 8:
Aprin, the abdomen of the Brachyourus crabs.

3. Combs.: (1) apronman, as in Eng. one who wears an apron at work, an artisan; specif. in Inverkeithing a member of a friendly society of the local trades, masons, joiners, blacksmiths, etc. (the Apron Society); (2) awpron strings, âpron-strings; (3) apron-washing. See Wash, v., 1(1)Fif. 1831-2 Fife Herald (30 June, 5 July): 
The Friendly Society of Apronmen at this place [Inverkeithing] held their annual meeting on the 21st. . . . The Apron Society here held their annual meeting on the 29th ultimo.
(2)Abd. 1862 G. Macdonald D. Elginbrod I. vi.:
To set them the example o' hingin' at a quean's âpron-strings.
Abd.(D) 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xlix.:
Sin he leeft's mither's awpron strings.

4. In plumbing: a strip of lead folded over the edge of a gutter, etc. to conduct rain water into it, a lead-flashing (Sc. 1889 Cent. Dict. 2255). Gen.Sc. Sc. 1842 J. C. Loudon Encycl. Farm 468: 
The joinings of the slates with the walls are to be covered with aprons (or flashings) of 6-pound lead, at least 12 inches broad.
Sc. 1876 W. P. Buchan Plumbing 25: 
To prevent the rain getting down the back of the gutter, a long narrow strip of lead, called the "apron", is put along the front of the chimney so as to overlap the back of the gutter.

[Older Sc. has approun, approwne. Mid.Eng. napron, O.Fr. nap(p)eron, a large cloth, from nap(p)e, cloth, from Lat. mappa, napkin.]

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"Aprin n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 2 Sep 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/aprin>

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