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). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CRAFT, n.¹ A Sc. form (now mainly ne.) of Croft. Also vbl.n. craftin. [krɑft]

†1. As in Eng. croft, a small piece of land adjoining a house, in Sc. usu. referring to the infield or cultivated land.Edb. 1856 J. Ballantine Poems 90:
The big peat stack and the craft o' bier.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 49:
Now brawny aft wad leave the craft, An' wander by hersel'.

2. A small land-holding (craft(ie) Abd. 1993).Abd.(D) 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxx.:
Dear me, aw thocht the crafts hedna tacks but jist gaed on superannuat like?Abd.(D) 1920 G. P. Dunbar Guff o' Peat Reek 14:
Her fowk belangt the Sauchen wye, an' hed a craftie there, A but an' ben, a byre, a barn, an' nae jist muckle mair.Ags. 1844 W. Jamie Muse of the Mearns 13:
The lads they noo were nearly daft, To get hersel', and then the craft.

Hence crafter, one who occupies such a holding (Bnff.², Abd.², Ags.¹⁷ 1940).Abd. 1844 W. Thom Rhymes and Recoll. 40:
Look ye, here's A crafter carl upon our hook Ahint these twa “ha'f years.”Abd.(D) 1920 G. P. Dunbar Peat Reek 8:
Her faither wis a crafter, bit he thackit reefs forbye.

†3. The Forfar cattle-market (Ags. 1845 Stat. Acc.² XI. 225) “held previous to the establishment of Marts” (Ags.¹⁷ 1940). Cf. Croft, n., 2.

†4. Combs.: (1) craft lan', craftin lan, land of superior quality because of its being constantly manured; “the old infield land which received all the manure” (Sc. 1855 J. C. Morton Cycl. Agric. (1869) II. 722); “good green fields” (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 144, craftin lan); (2) craft rig, a ridge (field) of fertile land, see (1) above; (3) gudeman's craft, see Gudeman.(1) Lnk. 1802 R. Lochore in J. G. Wilson Poets and Poetry of Scot. (1840) 385:
I've braid craft lan', green braes an' knowes.(2) Ayr. publ. 1803 Burns There's News, Lasses (Cent. ed.) iii.:
I hae as guid a craft rig As made o' yird and stane.