Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†CRONY, CRONIE, n. A potato; also the earthnut, Bunium flexuosum (Nai. 1892 Trans. Northern Assoc. I. v. 66).Dmf. 1801 A. Clark Poems 36:
. . . they wad join a meal wi' me An' pick a cronie.
Hence crony-hill, a potato-field (Dmf. 1808 Jam.).
[The word has been transferred jocularly from its Eng. sense to one of a number of tubers or sim. objects found in clusters or groups.]
