Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CRUBAN, CRUBEN, Crouban, Cruaban, Creuben, Crooban, n.¹ A general term for a crab (Arg. c.1850 D. Macilreavie Flory Loynachan in Colville (1909) 116, crouban, Arg.¹ 1929, cruban); “edible crab” (Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn., creuben; Dwn. 1931 “Gawney Kateys” in North. Whig (2 Dec.) 5/7, cruben); specif. the edible crab cancer pagurus. [′krubən, ′kruban]Arg. 1992:
A dose o croobans eatin him noo.Bte. 1820 J. Blain Hist. Bute (1880) 25:
The lobster, crab, cruban, sea urchin.Gall.(D) 1877 “Saxon” Gall. Gossip 16:
A painful recollection of his adventure with the cruaban.