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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

STROUP, n. Also stroupe, stroop, strup; stroap (Uls.). Dim. stroupie, -ach, -an. [strup]

1. The spout or mouth of a vessel shaped for pouring, as of a kettle, teapot, jug, pump, or the like (Sc. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Uls. 1953 Traynor; I., n. and m. Sc. 1971). Hence stroupie, adj., spout-shaped, long and slender (Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C.), stroopless, without a spout; ppl.adj. strouped, stroopit, fitted with a spout.Rs. 1724 Pitcalnie MSS. (6 June):
One possat Caun whereof the Stroup is broken.Mry. 1737 Elgin Kirk-Session Rec. (Cramond 1897) 332:
A large, strouped pewter flagon.Sc. 1759 J. Justice Br. Gardener's Cal. 36:
Water with a garden pot, from a nosel upon the stroop thereof.Sc. 1796 Edb. Mag. (Nov.) 406:
A fine boy, who was diverting himself about the kitchen, put his mouth to the stroop of the tea-pot.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail lxxvii.:
I would na hae hid it in a stroopless teapot.Sc. 1824 Cornhill Mag. (Sept. 1932) 275:
A gude snaiker o' whisky punch out o' a bit stroopit mug.Edb. 1872 J. Smith Jenny Blair 34:
A pair o' bellysis wantin' the stroop.Sh. 1891 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 65:
Poor'd meltit lead, frae stroopie lang, Itill his lug.wm.Sc. a.1930 N. Munro Looker-on (1933) 182:
Treacle, supplied from a delightful tin drum through a stroup.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xii.:
Gin Jock hid bit gotten'e stroop o' the flagon atween'is chafts.Per. 1979 Betsy Whyte The Yellow on the Broom 5:
'If you filled a kettle with tobacco this lassie would smoke it to the bottom through the stroup, without a halt.' Edb. 1992:
The strup is the spout of a kettle etc.

2. Specif.: the faucet, spout or outlet of a spring or well, a water-tap (n.Sc., Ags., Per. 1971); the down-pipe from a roof gutter (Cai. 1972 D. Omand Cai. Book 257); transf. the barrel of a shotgun (Cai. 1975). Also fig.Abd. 1851 W. Anderson Rhymes 100:
I hope ere lang to see the day Again you'll mak my stroopie play.Kcd. 1893 C. A. Mollyson Fordoun 102:
All had free access to “the stroop”, the name by which this well was familiarly known.Cai. 1928 John o' Groat Jnl. (10 Feb.):
They've naething til dae but turn 'e tap an' wash their feice at 'e stroop.Crm. 1933 D. A. Mackenzie Stroopie Well 5:
The wudden stroopie's on the dreep, I leave the pailie hinging canny.Abd. 1935:
We'll see foo the stroopie rins, i.e. how the plan works out.Ags. 1990:
Stroopie: n. faucet. Abd. 1993:
E water at cam oot o e stroopie wis fine an caal.

3. In dim. form: (1) a tea-pot (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., Sh. 1971), gen. jocularly and freq. as a soubriquet.Sh. 1888 B. R. Anderson Broken Lights 88:
Commend me ta Stroopie 'at sits i' da ase!Abd. 1898 J. Hardie Sprays 19:
The sicht o' broon stroopie.Bnff. 1930:
Ye surely keep stroopie at the fireside aa day.

(2) in Gaelicised forms str(o)upach, -an, strupak, a drink of tea (Cai., Rs., Inv. 1969, stroupach). Cf. Gael. srùbag, -an, a drink of tea or whisky.Highl. 1931 A. S. MacGregor Last Voyage to St Kilda 103:
Hurrying along to Katie MacDonald's for a strupan of tea.Inv. 1943 C. M. Maclean Three for Cordelia 31:
The early morning stroupachs in the kitchen.wm.Sc. 1988 Christine Marion Fraser Storm over Rhanna (1990) 21:
He was only paying Megan a visit, that was all-and why not, for heaven's sake! That wasn't so unusual on an island where strupaks and ceilidhs were part of the everyday scene of things.

(3) the mouthpiece of a football-bladder by which it is inflated.Mry. 1963 Abd. Press & Jnl. (5 March):
Tieing the “stroopie” on the bladder of a football.

(4) a child's word for the penis (Abd., Kcb. 1940).Abd. 1992 David Toulmin Collected Short Stories 233:
They sometimes wondered if she had grown a stroop, seeing there were no bairns about the place, for maybe she had changed her sex.

4. Tea. Cf. 3.(2) above.Sh. 1961 New Shetlander No. 57. 24:
Sae on hit güde wi scaars o stroop An hoors o sleep atween.