Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1768-1864, 1925
[0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
CLUNG, Klung, v., pa.p. and ppl. adj. Arch. or dial. in Eng. See Cling, v. [klʌŋ]
1. pa.p. Become contracted, dried up (Bnff.2 1936).Ags. 1790 D. Morison Poems 98:
Thy kyte has clung, like ony ditch, Wi' purging fair.
2. ppl.adj.
(1) Shrivelled, contracted through the action of heat, disease, etc.; lean, thin (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., klung); “of woodwork: shrunk, as after being fixed up when imperfectly dried” (ne.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Abd.15 1925:
She wis leukin fell clung fin Aw saw her: Aw'm sweer te think she wis i the wye [pregnant].
(2) Shrunken with hunger, hungry (Bnff.2, Abd.19, Fif.10 1936). Superl. clungest.Abd. [1768] J. Beattie Address ii. in A. Ross Helenore (1778):
O mayst thou ne'er gang clung or shabby, Nor miss thy snaker.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 209:
Some landit up at Tullilum Wi' stammachs clung and clappit.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto Tammas Bodkin xx.:
Ye'll tak' a bite o' breakfast wi' us, for after comin' sae lang a gait, ye maun be clung by noo.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Sc. Poems (1925) 43:
The lads in order tak their seat, (The de'il may claw the clungest).Rnf. 1807 R. Tannahill Poems and Songs 169:
Sae the deil fill his kyte wha gaes clung frae the meeting.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Clung v., adj.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/clung>
