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 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CRACKY, CRACKIE, adj. Talkative, affable; applied to those who converse in a friendly or entertaining manner, or to those who become loquacious as the result of drinking. Known to Bnff.², Abd.⁹, Ags.², Fif.¹³, Slg.³, Edb.¹ 1940.Abd. 1923 J. Lawrence in Bnffsh. Jnl. (27 Feb.) 3:
Homely and “cracky,” few were passed by him without a smile and a nod.Ags.(D) 1886 Brechin Advertiser (20 July) 3/4:
A crackie, denty-lookin' lassie . . . telt's lots o' particulars o' the place.Edb. 1801 H. Macneill Poet. Wks. II. 51:
But brandish ye the lang-shanked ladle, That magic wand that has the knack ay To mak us a' sae pleased and cracky.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage, etc. 60:
In fetching a walk at the dew-fall of the day, our trio fell in with a fine canny cracky body.