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.
Quotation dates: 1828, 1885-1941, 1998
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CRINCH, Crinsh, v. and n. Sc. variant of Eng. crunch. Also vbl. n. For vowel, cf. P.L.D. §60.1. Cf. Cransh. [krɪnʃ]
1. v. Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 48:
Aabody sookit pandrops tae thole the dreid o the sermon. Bit there wis an airt tae the sookin: nae crinchin wis allooed - ye'd tae sook canny an slaw; stap the fite baa aneth yer tongue till it melled wi yer ain slivvers.
In phr. to crinch the teeth, to grind or gnash (the teeth) (Sc. 1808 Jam.).Fif.10 1941:
Often said of a child with worms: "He crinches his teeth in his sleep."Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick xvi.:
Ye could see he was in a Hielant passion, crinchin his teeth an' mutterin to himsel.
2. n. A very small piece (Abd. 1921 W. Walker MS. W.-L., crinsh). The Eng. form crunch is included here in this special Sc. usage. Hence dim. crinchie, crunchie (Cai.1 c.1920; Fif.10 1941).Mry.2 1937:
Gie the littlin a crinchie o' breid.Lth. 1885 "J. Strathesk" More Bits from Blinkbonny 135:
Some bits o' crinshes o' roots she feshes in.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1839) xxiii.:
[He] had got his pipe smashed to crunches.
Phr.: crinch by crinch, little by little, gradually.Hdg. 1905 J. Lumsden Croonings 211:
Crinch by crinch the people's ain They're winning back.
