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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RANCE, n., v.¹ Also rans(e); runce.

I. n. A prop, a wooden post used as a stay or strut. Also in Eng. dial.; specif.: the wooden cross-bar between the legs of a chair or table (Ags. 1808 Jam., Ags. 1910; Bnff.⁸ c.1920; Mry., Ags., Kcb. 1967); a bar for securing a door; a prop to hold up a building, corn-rick, etc. (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Kcb. 1900; Lth. 1967), in mining, a prop used to strengthen and support a wall of coal or the roof of a working, also a pillar of unhewn coal left for the same purpose (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 54; Fif. 1890–1957), a row of such supports (Barrowman); the cross-bar of a fence (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.), a row of wire in a fence (Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C. s.v. rachts); one of the bars of a grate (Abd. 1967), or of a dresser where dishes are set (Abd. 1929), also in deriv. rancers, id. (Sc. 1911 S.D.D. App.); “the fore-part of the roof of a bed, the cornice of a wooden bed” (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Combs. fore-rance, the bar along the front of a recessed bed, against which the doors slide (Ib.); rance-pole, a prop or support (Uls. 1967); ranse-wall, a wall of coal, acting as a support or prop for the roof of a working.Lnk. 1714 Session Papers, Thomson v. Pettigrew (15 Feb.) 3:
When the Defender left off working the Carntine Coal, there was left by him a Rans-wall between the Coal where he was working, and the Pursuer's Coal of Shettlestoun.Ags. 1768 Session Papers, Petition J. Craich (24 Nov.) 13:
Fenced by staves driven in the ground, three cross rances, and barrel-staves, nailed upright upon the said rances.Rnf. 1787 Session Papers, Coventry v. Speirs (16 Jan.) 38:
Part of these stoops or pillars were ranse-walls, and these ranse-walls appear to have been left for the purpose of keeping back the water.Sc. 1814 J. Sinclair Agric. Scot. I. 561:
Two hundred sheep flakes or hurdles, made somewhat like gates, of foreign fir, having four rails each, with pins, stobs and rances, for securing them.Lnk. 1843 Trans. Highl. Soc. 80:
This coal is worked in the “room and rance”, or long wall principle, by which the whole coal is taken out.Ayr. 1892 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 243:
Our Cadger sae sly slippit in Syne cannilie shot the muckle door slot, Made a ranse o' a big racking pin.Abd. 1903 J. Milne Myths 14:
A blow from a “luggie cog”, that came from the “rances” of the dresser table.Abd. 1965 Press & Jnl. (26 March):
[In the North-east] unlike the thatch of the Highlands, there was no need to rope it down against the wind, though occasionally a thin wooden board called the “runce”, might be laid along the roof just above the eaves as an extra precaution.

II. v. 1. To prop up, brace, stay a building, etc. (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; m.Lth., Lnk. 1967).e.Lth. 1807 Foord Acct. Bk. MS. 2:
To ranceing a house and other Jobs 2 days.Edb. 1822 R. Wilson Poems 41:
Ane stamm'rin' on his neibour comes, An' hauds the bodies rancin' Their staunds that day.e.Lth. 1887 P. McNeill Blawearie 54:
Did ye sit . . wi' a foot ranst against the wa' face?

2. To make fast, to jam, close up, esp. by wedging a bar across an opening, to barricade, to fasten firmly to prevent motion (Cld. 1825 Jam.; Per., Slg., Lth. 1967), to obstruct, block or choke up (Ayr. 1825 Jam.).Sc. 1824 Farmer's Mag. (Feb.) 62:
4 Straps for rancing the ends, 3 inches by 2 . . . 2s. 0d.Sc. 1832 Chambers's Jnl. (Aug.) 219:
“He's surely daft to chap the night.” “No sae dooms daft, lass — the door's ranced,” was the answer.Slg. 1848 Sc. Journal II. 200:
Rance the doors and winnocks — and fill every hole and bore in the wa's.e.Lth. 1887 P. McNeill Blawearie 119:
We have “ransed” the cage with crossbars below the “borderees,” so that it canna win up to let him down.Fif. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 48:
The action o' the alcohol dejinerates the tishie until the liver becomes akwilly ransed.