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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CARRANT, Carant, Coorant, Carrunt, n. [kɑ′rɑnt, kə′rɑnt, ku′rɑnt]

1. “An expedition, journey” (Cai.⁴ c.1920; Cai.⁷ 1938), gen. a hasty journey (Kcb.¹⁰ 1938).Rnf. 1865 J. Young Homely Pictures 163:
Ithers . . . Wha've got a sudden wild carrant . . . Frae tap to fit o' Fortune's brae.sm.Sc. 1988 W. A. D. and D. Riach A Galloway Glossary :
carrunt 1. an outing or trip (Dmf 'could be a wild trip').

2. A revel, social gathering; a frolic, escapade; “an uproar” (Abd.⁵ 1929). Known to Bnff.², Fif.¹⁰ 1938.ne.Sc. 1921 J. Wight in Swatches o' Hamespun 9:
For nae carránt wis complete withoot “Jeems Roy, Esquar o' the Garmon', min.”ne.Sc. 1996 W. Gordon McPherson in Sandy Stronach New Wirds: An Anthology of Winning Poems and Stories from the Doric Writing Competitions of 1994 and 1995 21:
Aa gid throwe ti the windi; the street wis teem an quaet;-nae Police, nae car, nae carrunt o ony kin.Abd. 1923 Anon. in Swatches o' Hamespun 69:
Mary hid tell't o' their carrants at the burnside, him fishin for troots files, bit geyan aften gettin the terrier t' hunt water-dogs.Abd. 1993:
Sic a carrant ere wis amon e beas in e byre. Ags. 1901 W. J. Milne Reminisc. of an Old Boy vi.:
Fat carant wis yon four men on at cam i' the coach, flegin' a'body hauf oot o' their wit?Lnk. 1880 P. M'Arthur Amusements 93:
Folk say that they haud fine carants On Sundays owre in Rutherglen.Ayr. 1912 G. Cunningham Verse, Maistly in the Doric 100:
Your grand pianos May dae for sprees and sic coorants.

3. “A long, tedious discourse” (Gsw. 1912 A. G. Mitchell in Scotsman (9 Jan.)). Not known to our correspondents.