Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

CREENGE, CREINGE, Crienge, v. Sc. forms of Eng. cringe (Bnff.², Abd.², Ags.², Fif.¹⁰, Arg.¹, Lnk.¹¹, Kcb.¹ 1940; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein). [krin(d)ʒ]Bnff. 1924 “Knoweheid” in Swatches 82:
. . . fan women an' men Come creengin, an' chilpin, an' cooerin ben Te this place.Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick v.:
I've neeboured ye noo for a gey twa-three years, an' I'm suir ye've ne'er fand me upsettin to my aquals or creengin to my betters.Gall.(D) 1901 Trotter Gall. Gossip 148:
An they boo't an creinge't an fuss't ower him. [Also crienge p. 324.] With up: “to stretch (the neck) and look round, to crane” (Ags.¹⁷ 1940).Ags.(D) 1922 J. B. Salmond Bawbee Bowden vi.:
Ye sook in your breth atween your teeth an' creenge up your neck.