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

CLANK, Klank, n. and v. Sc. meanings of St.Eng. clank. Cf. Clink, n.¹ and v.¹ [klɑŋk]

1. n. Dim. clankie.

(1) A resounding blow, a knock. Given for Sh. in E.D.D. in form klank.Sc. 1718 Ramsay Chr. Kirk III. xxiii. in Poems (1721):
Some ram'd their Noddles wi' a Clank, E'en like a thick scull'd Lord, On Posts that Day.Ayr. 1790 Burns Killiecrankie (Cent. ed.) iii.:
An' Clavers gat a clankie, O.Rxb. 1806 J. Hogg Poems 50:
He wan 'im sic a clank.

†(2) A loud noise.Abd.(D) 1788 J. Skinner Christmass Bawing xiii. in Caled. Mag. 501:
The Cousins bicker'd wi' a clank, Gart ane anither sob And gasp that day.Edb. 1801 J. Thomson Poems 98–99:
The silliest brat about their town, Will curse an' swear like a dragoon, An' rin alangst me [a bridge] wi' a clankie, An' ne'er so much as say, “I thank ye.” Some, I must own, are mair discreet, An' tentily set down their feet.) †(3) A large quantity, a “dollop.”Rxb. 1821 A. Scott Poems 96:
For clanks o' 'tatoes hail'd ilk wame, A' pipin het, weel butter'd.

†(4) A rough hold, a violent clutch.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 42:
Three lusty fellows gat o' him a clank.

†(5) In phr. in a clank, in a moment, in a trice. Cf. in a clap s.v. Clap, n.¹Sc. 1872 J. Smail in Scotsman (25 April):
Alang by the Dead-Water Stank, Jock Fenwick I met on the lea; But his saddle was toom in a clank — An' wha daur meddle wi' me?

(6) A metal dish in which to collect money, a begging-bowl.Sc. 1799 Scots Mag. (July) 470: 
The silliest brat about their town, Can curse an' swear like a dragoon, An' rins alangst me wi' a clanky, An' ne'er sae muckle's say "I thank ye."

2. v. †(1) To strike, beat.Sc. 1806 A. Brown in Caled. Musical Repository (ed. Crosby) 75:
May I get my shouthers weel clankit, Gif e'er I tell ought but the truth.Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 58:
Our dams wad clank us wi' the kail-stick.

†(2) To snatch, clutch; to seize noisily and violently.Ags. 1820 A. Balfour Contemplation, etc. 277:
[She] spread down the blanket, An' him into her oxter clankit.Edb. 1812 P. Forbes Poems 37:
Syne clankit up his ram-horn spoon, An' stecht his muckle wame, Right fu' yon night.Dmf. 1823 J. Kennedy Poems and Songs 70:
This done, a sage the bonnet clankit Frae's pow, and said a lang bethankit.

(3) Gen. with doun (doon, down). Cf. Clink, v.¹ (2) (a).

†(a) To write down hurriedly.Hdg. 1885 “S. Mucklebackit” Rural Rhymes and Sketches 19:
Clank doun, an' point wi' ready pen The shortest cut to riches.

(b) To sit or flop down suddenly and noisily (Bnff.², Abd.², Slg.³ 1937).Sc. 1929 E. Turner in Sc. Readings, etc. (ed. T. W. Paterson) 68:
I aye keep them on top o' the garret bed . . . an' it wasna' ma blame he clankit doon on them.Bch. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 130:
Lat's clank oursel' ayont the fire.Ags. 1786 ? C. Keith Har'st Rig (1794) xv.:
And forthwith then they a' down clank Upon the green.

(c) To pull, push or slam down forcibly. Fif. 1859 P. Landreth J. Spindle (1911) 18: 
Whan he was raisin' the wundy I clankit the undersash doon apo' his fingers.

(4) “To eat noisily” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., rare). Cf. Clunk, v.¹Rxb. 1868 W. Kennedy in Trans. Hawick Arch. Soc. 27–28:
He's taen eleven cups o' tea and eight shives o' bread, an' he's clanking away as if he hadna seen meat for a fortnight.

(5) To cackle, of a hen (Ork. 1975). See also Klang, n.