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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CRATER, Cra(i)tur, Craiter, Craeter, Craetur, Cre(e)tur, Creyter, Crayter, Creatur, Critter, Crittur, n. Also crettir, crettur. [′kretər, ′kritər, ′krɪtər]

1. Sc. forms of Eng. creature, see P.L.D. § 42, used in all St. and colloq. Eng. senses. Cai.⁷ (1940) gives the form kreiter. Also dim. craturie (crater Sh., Ork., Cai., Bnff., Abd., Fif., Edb., Ayr., Dmf., Rxb.; crettur Arg. 2000s).Sc. 1991 Forbes Macgregor in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 17:
He filled it neist wi bluid and sweit
And stude the cratur on its feet.Cai. 1992 James Miller A Fine White Stoor 87:
Dougie thought suddenly that the world was the same as a puddock pool, filled with weeds and dim light, hotching with craiturs that spent their time fighting and spravelling about, one with another ... Abd. 1984 Robbie Kydd in Alexander Scott and James Aitchison New Writing Scotland 2 12:
I wonder what the craitur wears under that punk-pink overall?Abd. 1987 Donald Gordon The Low Road Hame 8:
She's fae the South, ye ken, Nae like hiz, A queer cratur!Abd. 1988 Jack Webster Another Grain of Truth (1989) 60:
Two of them came from the south but one couldn't stand the Buchan weather, cauldrif cratur that he was, and the other couldn't bear the uncouth manners of the people.Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 16:
an' tho it maun be saired by ither words
gin they hinna the lear they're but dautit cage-birds
freed tae fend wi the sanshach craws
that ken the wun's airt afore it blaws;
thae winsome craturies peeplin a tune
'ill be an houlet's denner gey soon.Dundee 1991 Ellie McDonald The Gangan Fuit 9:
Sae I thankit him kindly -
syne he gied me the awfiest dunt
i the ribs, an there she stud -
a shilpit wee craitur wi naither
briests nor hurdies fit tae grace
the glossies lat alane the ploo.Per. 1990 Betsy Whyte Red Rowans and Wild Honey (1991) 105:
' ... God pity Sympathy, but I supposed the cratur has tae dae what he is telt.'wm.Sc. 1978 Christine Marion Fraser Rhanna (1979) 17:
' ... The wee lass McKenzie wed's a nippet cratur - bonny, mind, but no' made for rearin' bairns.wm.Sc. 1978 Christine Marion Fraser Rhanna (1979) 23:
'... He'd make a nice feast for the gulls but the craturs would likely die of alcoholic poisonin'.'Arg. 1993:
He's a wile gleckit crettir thon. Ye feel sorry for im.Gsw. 1947 Margaret Hamilton in Moira Burgess and Hamish Whyte Streets of Stone (1985) 51:
'Oh, Peter, you'll need to mind they're rough craters - no' like you. They didny mean ony hairm ...'

2. Alcoholic drink, usually whisky (Bnff., Fif., Edb., Ayr., Dmf. 2000s).Sc. 1815 Sir Walter Scott Guy Mannering 1882 Vol (2) 167:
..., during the absence of her husband, or when he chanced to have taken an over-dose of the creature.Sc. 1989 Nicholas Fairbairn A Life is Too Short 61:
He also had a big fist and a big capacity for the craitur.Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 18:
Me an Willie Dow catched three trooties an Granny Ross gied him "a drap o the craitur". She keeps the craitur in a bottle in the sideboard an says I hinna tae drink it acause the craitur nips wee loons' tongues.em.Sc. 1992 Ian Rankin Strip Jack (1993) 102:
'The WPC's making some tea ... ' But as he spoke, Rebus knew this was not what she was suggesting. 'A drop of the cratur wouldn't go amiss though, if it's not too much trouble.'Gsw. 1970 George MacDonald Fraser The General Danced at Dawn (1988) 130:
"... "Isn't this the pleasure? You'll take a little of the creature?..."