Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1937 (DOST Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Crafty, Craftie, a. Also: craftye, craiftie. [ME. crafty, OE. cræftiᵹ.]

1. Of persons, the mind, etc.: Skilful, ingenious, clever.1375 Barb. x. 359 (E. a crafty man and a curious). a1400 Leg. S. vi. 40 (the maste crafty of that land). c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 516 (of arte of the wysemen crafty). a1500 Henr. Fab. 394 (the foxe … craftie and cautelous). c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxviii. 30 (a gude crafty telȝour). 1513 Doug. i. Prol. 423 (all his cuyr and crafty engyne). Ib. vii. iii. 64 (ymagis … carvyt with crafty hand). 1531 Bell. Boece I. p. xxxviii (be crafty industre of man). Ib. II. 298 (richt crafty masonis). 1568 Pref. Lyndesay 4 (quhairin he was craftie and excellent). a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 98 (mair sweitlie nor craftie Amphion).

2. Skilfully or ingeniously made or composed.a1400 Leg. S. xliv. 338 (hire frendis … mad a crafty kirke). c1400 Troy-bk. i. 338 (palais … mare crafty saw thai neuir). 1513 Doug. ix. v. 99 (the crafty ancyant flacconys). Ib. xii. Prol. 25 (fowlys wirkand crafty nestis). 1531 Bell. Boece I. 233 (in maist crafty music). Id. Livy I. 7 (be thair crafty eloquence); c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2096 (ane tempyll … off crafty work). 1568 Pref. Lyndesay 3 (craftie and ingenious poeticall inuentionis).

b. Skilfully performed. 1513 Doug. i. i. 24.
Maist expert in crafty fait of weir 1567 Sat. P. iii. 22.
To meit his marrow … with craftie feat of weir

c. As adv. Skilfully, with art. 1513 Doug. v. Prol. 31.
The hie wysdome … Of myne author … makis me almaist forvay, So crafty wrocht hys wark is

3. Full of craft or cunning; guileful.c1552 Lynd. Mon. 894 (the subtellest aboue all beistis and craftyest). Ib. 898 (imagenyng sum craftye wyle). 1558-66 Knox II. 285 (the crafty Papist). a1570-86 Maitl. F. cxi. 29 (be craiftie meynis and desait). 1585 Reg. Privy C. III. 758 (sik craftie and unupricht dealing).