Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
CRACKER, n. [′krɑkər]
1. A loud kiss. Cf. slang Eng. smacker, id.Rxb. 1811 A. Scott Poems 98:
But, fegs, I gart the sappy crackers tell When 'twas my hap to kiss an' dance wi' Nell.
2. A boaster (Sc. 1898 E.D.D.; Ags.17 1940; Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.).
3. “A talker, gossip; one good at chatting” (Cai.8 1934; Bnff.2, Fif.13, Slg.3 1940). Also found in Cum. dial. (E.D.D.).Ags.(D) 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) v.:
“You're grand crackers,” said Mysie. “Ye ken a hankle mair than ever happened.”m.Sc. 1922 “O. Douglas” Ann and her Mother 10:
She's a graund cracker.
4. In pl.: “two pieces of bone or of smoothed hard wood, held between the fingers and made to click with each other” (ne.Sc. 1880 (per Mry.2); Bnff.2, Abd.2, Ags.2, Slg.3 1940; Gsw.1 c.1880), castanets. Watson in Rxb. W.-B. (1923) gives the sing. form.Slk. 1893 J. Dalgleish W. Wathershanks 42:
When I cam near haund them ony wey they wad be cryin 'tae yin anither, "Where's the crackers?" "Hev 'e lost 'er benjo?"
5. “The lash [thin cord at end] of a whip” (Abd. 1825 Jam.2; Cai.7, Bnff.2, Abd.9, Kcb.1 1940; Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.).
[O.Sc. has crakkar, a boaster, loud talker (D.O.S.T.). Senses 2 and 3 are from Crack, v., 2 and 3, + agent suff.; senses 4 and 5 from Crack, v., 1, + agent suff.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Cracker n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 May 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cracker>
