Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RUNNICK, n. Also runnik, runnock; rinnick (Marw.); ron(n)ek (Jak.). Dim. runnickle (Sh. 1968). An open drain or gutter used to drain water from a byre or dung hill (Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 188, 1908 Jak. (1928), 1914 Angus Gl., Ork. 1929 Marw.; Sh. 1968). [′rʌnək]Sh. 1836 Gentleman's Mag. II. 591:
Donal o Nius' mukkle glekkit goat, it wiz cullin him dere i da runnik.Sh. 1892 G. Stewart Fireside Tales 259:
Fir truly ta won till her I could a geen up troo a runnick.Sh. 1916 J. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr (14 May):
Whin raeson slips faeth, shö goes clash i da runnik.Sh. 1956 Shetland News (4 Dec.):
To clean out the midden runnick.Ork. 2004:
Runnick for a gutter in the byre is common in the south isles.