Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

STRIND, n.², v. Also strynd; strin(n), streen; ¶strune; ¶strain, phs. due to confusion with Strind, n.¹, and Eng. strain. Dim. forms strinnie, strinnle. [strɪn; Mry. + strin]

I. n. 1. A very small stream, a streamlet (Bnff. 1825 Jam.; Abd. 1928); a trickle of water, the run of spilt liquid (Id.; Mry. 1921 T.S.D.C.). Also in place-names in Ork., Mry. and Abd. and fig. Dim. strinnle, id. (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 185).Mry. 1734 Session Papers, Duff v. Duke of Gordon (23 Feb.) 1:
A small Stripe or Strin, which formerly had only been observeable in the Time of Speats, came to break off from the River [Spey] and to run northward.Abd. 1761 Edinburgh Mag. (Jan.) 14:
The stream, or strin, with its banks and peebles, are all tinged with a crust of dark brown.Lnl. 1767 Session Papers, Provost of Linlithgow v. Elphinston State of Process 33:
Some strains made by the natural run of the water.Nai. 1845 Stat. Acc.² XII. 35:
The hilly ground and the “streens” is the only ground occupied by sheep.Sc. 1879 P. H. Waddell Isaiah xliv. 4:
Like saughs by the watir strune.Ayr. 1885 R. Lawson Maybole 20:
The current strain that runs therefrom betwixt the said well and that house.Bnff. 1891 W. Cramond Annals Bnff. (S.C.) I. ix.:
While in the early course the narrative flows in a single stream, it was found impossible as it proceeded to prevent its breaking up into several strins.Bnff. 1930:
There wis only a bit strin o' water comin' oot o' the mou o' the drain.

2. The jet of milk from a cow's teat (Bnff., Abd. 1971).ne.Sc. 1881 W. Gregor Folk-Lore 190:
When the first milk was drawn from the cow after calving, three “strins” from each pap were milked through a finger-ring.Bnff., Abd. 1936:
When the milk flows intill the pail like a slant o' rain, ye ca' it the strins o' milk.

†3. A draw or pull at a pipe, a short smoke (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 185, a strinn o the pipe).

4. The gutter or drain behind the stalls in a byre (Mry. 1921 T.S.D.C., Mry. 1971).

†5. A very narrow groove (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 185).

II. v. 1. intr. To run or flow in a very small stream, to trickle (Mry. 1925). Also strinnle, id.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 185:
The swyte wiz strinnin' doon the wa'. . . . The wattir strinnlet doon the window.

2. tr. To eject in a small stream, to squirt, spray; to allow to trickle or dribble in small quantities.Sc. 1911 S.D.D.:
Strinnent [ < strinnin it], measuring out very carefully into a scale anything that is to be weighed, such as dangerous drugs.Abd. 1932 R. L. Cassie Scots Sangs 40:
The shauver strins the corn doon Afore ye weel can claw yer croon.