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.

CROCKANITION, CROCKINITION, CROCKINEESHUN, CROCKANEESHIN, Crockaneetion, Crockanation. n. Also variant forms as below. Complete destruction; fragments; “smithereens” (Mry.⁵ 1928, crockaneeshun, Bnff. c.1927 G. J. Milne W.-L., crockanition, Abd. 1825 Jam.², crokonition,  Abd.¹³ 1910, crockaneeshin; Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Back o' Benachie 163, crockaneshun, 1928 P. Grey Making of a King 14, crockieneeshin, 1928 N. Shepherd Quarry Wood 148, crockaneeshion, 1930 D. Campbell Kirsty's Surprise 6, crockination, 1931 (per Abd.⁴), croackinition, croakanition; Bch. 1808 Jam., crockonition). Knownto Ork.¹, Bnff.², Abd.², Ags.¹⁷, Fif.¹⁰ 1941. [krɔkə′nɪʃən, krok-, krɔkɪ′neʃən, -iʃən]Sc. 1920 D. Rorie Auld Doctor 23:
While Corkie swore he had his leg Ca'd a' to crockaneetion.Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 245:
Ye wadna be daffin gin the comet cam' a dird on this warld, an' ca'd a'thing tae crockineeshun.Abd. 1993:
The horse knockit its staa aa tae crockaneetion. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 10:
The wye he flang hissel aboot the pulpit on Sundays, Davie wisna at aa surprised. Fyles he wis that ferocious, Davie thocht he'd caa the pulpit tae crockanation an flee aff throw the stained glaiss windae.Ags. 1816 G. Beattie John o' Arnha', 58:
An' aye's they fell to crockinition, Their wizzent timbers stour'd like sneishin.Ags. 1883 J. Kennedy Poems (1930) 121:
Stanes will gang to crokonition, Hearts should never gang agee.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxx.:
I had the misfortune to ding her a' to crockanition.