Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
CRAW, n.3 A boys' game: “one boy is selected to be craw. He sits down upon the ground; and he and another boy then lay hold of the two ends of a long strap or twisted handkerchief. The latter also takes into his right hand another hard-twisted handkerchief, called the cout, and runs round the craw, and with the cout defends him against the attacks of the other boys, who, with similar couts, use all their agility to get a slap at the craw” (Sc. [1826] R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes (1870) 129). Cf. Cock, n.1, I. 1.
