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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.

Crepar, Creiper, n. Also: creipper, kreeper, criper. [ME. creper(e, OE. créopere, f. créopan Crepe v.]

1. A grappling-iron or grapnel. 1513 Doug. i. iii. 54 comm.
The thre granyt ceptour, quhilk his statw in ald days bair in hand, lyk a crepar or a graip wyth thre granys 1517 Treas. Acc. V. 121.
For i crepar of irne maid for uptaking of the toll [= tow] that fell 1531 Bell. Boece II. 106.
Oswald, … perist in Loch Tay … His body was found be creparis, and buryit in Colmekill Ib. 251.
Thay fel down throw the ise, … thay war drawin out of the loch with creparis 1554-5 Edinb. Old Acc. I. 155.
For foure punds of steill to lay the cleiks of the crepars of the cran 1626 M. Works Acc. XIX. 5.
Threttie fadome off towis to ane creipper ffor outdrawing off the buckettis out of the well 1643 Mun. Univ. Glas. III. 525.
Ane yron creiper that brings up the bucket out of the well 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII. 368.
A gairden lyne … A creiper for the ponds

2. A creeping thing; a reptile. 1590 Burel Pilgr. i. xii.
Thir vipers and cripers, Amang the grene gars lay

3. A small iron hearth-dog. 1612 Bk. Rates 316.
Landiers or kreepers small sort 1615 Edinb. Test. XLVIII. 224 b.
lv creiperis, price of all xxx s.

4. A form of ink-pot (? with legs). 1621 Edinb. Test. LI. 63.
Tua littil creiperis for ink at xij s. the pece