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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SPRACK, n.2 Also sprak. A chip of wood, splinter, freq. used coll. of waste scraps of wood, tree branches, etc., wood or straw litter. [sprak]Ork. 1929 Marw.:
I found no wan sprak this morning.Ork. 1934:
He got a very bad thumb caused by a sprak of wood running into it.Arg.1 1930:
The word was common in the yard for scrap, which was always referred to as sprack.Arg. 1937:
The process of drawing straws for thatching to ensure uniformity and straightness and eliminate short straws and “sprack”.

[It is uncertain whether the Ork. and Arg. usages belong to the same word and the etym. is somewhat doubtful, appar. ad. Norw. dial., O.N. sprek, a thin dry twig or stick. Cf. the cogn. O.E. spræc, a twig, shoot. The vowel however suggests association with the ablaut variant in M.L.Ger., Mid.Du. sprock, id.]

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