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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SCREENGE, v.¹, adv., n.¹ Also skreenge, scringe, skringe, scrynge, ¶scyringe (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gatlov. Encycl. 78) and variant skrunge, indicating “a deeper sound” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 164). [skrin(d)ʒ]

I. v. 1. To rub, scrub or scour energetically (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 163; Ags. 1926). Ppl.adj. screeng't, scoured, scrubbed bare, denuded; agent n. skreenger, an energetic person, gen. in a bad sense (Id.), anything large of its kind, a whopper (Gregor).Ags. 1815 W. Gardiner Poems 11:
The muckle d—l tak' an' scringe The coof wha crouches, Ay wi' a gallant heather ringe.Lnk. 1816 G. Muir Minstrelsy 7:
Wi' wisps o' strae, like hostlers puff an' blaw Scringin' them [horses] doun.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 423:
Scrubbers — articles made of heather, for scrynging naps, for washing.Lnk. 1865 J. Hamilton Poems 102:
The dowie banks are screenge't an' bare.

2. To whip, lash, flog (Sc. 1787 J. Elphinston Propriety II. 196, scringe, 1808 Jam.; Abd., Ags. 1926; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Bnff., Abd. 1969); also fig. to castigate in speech, criticise severely.Ayr. 1821 Scots Mag. (April) 351:
It wad gar my letter luick mair like the skringing o' fowk's actions.Per. 1895 R. Ford Tayside Songs 273:
An' 'cause I leuch, an' scratch'd my pow, He screeng'd me wi' a sauch-en'.Abd.⁷ 1925:
They will speak of “screengin' a bodie roon' the lugs”.

3. tr. and absol. To search about eagerly or inquistitively, to rummage, to hunt, to scour in searching, to glean (Cld. 1825 Jam.; Cai. 1904 E.D.D.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; em.Sc. (a), Lnk., Ayr., 1969). specif. to fish the sea bottom inshore with a kind of small seine-net (Fif. 1969). Also fig. Hence screenge-net (Arg., Ayr. 1969); screenger, scringer, one who hunts about in order to find or pick up (Cld. 1880 Jam.; Cai. 1904 E.D.D.; Uls. 1953 Traynor), one who fishes with a screenge-net, the net itself (Fif. 1969); skreengin, a rummaging, hunting about, a thorough search (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 163), in pl., gleanings (Cld. 1825 Jam.), the last pickings of berries, etc. (Lnk. 1969), fishing with a screenge-net.Arg. 1825 Jam.:
Screengin. A mode of fishing with small nets during the night, without the aid of torches. This mode of fishing is simply scourging the water.Sc. 1851 Acts 14 & 15 Vict. c.26 § 6:
It shall not be lawful for any Person to use for the Purpose of taking Herrings any Sweep, Circle, Ring Net or Scringe Net.Arg. 1883 Fish and Fisheries (Herbert) 150:
The impunity with which poachers are allowed openly to carry on their practices on the Tweed is equalled, if not surpassed, in the case of the “scringers” on the west coast of Argyllshire.Uls. 1898 S. MacManus Bend of Road 208:
Her bate wasn't to be foun', nor yet her like again, an' screenge all Irelan' with a herrin' net.Sc. 1901 Scotsman (4 March) 10:
It is a fashion for yacht owners to say that scringing, if carried on by their crews, is not carried on by their consent.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 23:
But what wi' scringers hingin' roon', An' gaupies frae a neebor toon.Sc. 1935 W. Soutar Poems in Scots 29:
Aft, or a man may win richt ben To screenge his sel's sel', doun he snools To death.Fif. 1937 P. Smith The Herrin' (1951) 7:
Nae screenger, drift-net, or the ring If it's no there — can ever bring The herrin'.Arg. 1946:
Man, that's awfu poor stuff ye hae the day. Did ye get that wi' the screenge-net? Whaar were ye screengin' last nicht when ye got aa that smaa stuff?

4. To prowl about, to go from place to place in an idle aimless fashion (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 163; ne.Sc. 1969).Abd. 1898 J.R. Imray Sandy Todd xi.:
Gin ony o' them wis screengin' aboot as I gaed hame.Abd.¹⁵ 1928:
Our dog's nae a screengin tyke.

II. adv. With a quick cutting blow or stroke, as from a whip.wm.Sc. 1835 Laird of Logan 276:
Quick as thocht, scringe, cam the driver's whip alangside the noddy.

III. n. 1. A rubbing, scrubbing, scouring (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 163); the sound of this (Id.); energetic work (Id.).Ags. 1886 A. Willock Rosetty Ends 140:
Giein' the bedroom a screenge oot aboot ance in the sax months.

2. A scourer, scrubber, a small scrubbing brush.Abd. 1835 Abd. Shaver (Sept.) 189:
You will be obliged to apply an old heckle and heather skringe to it [a beard].

3. A lash, stroke with a whip or the like, a severe beating (Bnff., Fif. 1825 Jam.; Bnff. 1926; Uls. 1953 Traynor).

4. A thorough search, a hunt (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 163; Cld. 1880 Jam.); one who prowls or pries about, an inquisitive searcher (Cld. 1888 Jam.; Uls. 1904 E.D.D., 1953 Traynor); a screenge-net (Arg. 1946). See I. 3.

5. A loose woman, a vagabond female (Rnf., Ayr. 1825 Jam.). See I. 4.

6. A large tract or extent (of land) (Bnff. 1969).Mry. 1887 A. G. Wilken Peter Laing 15:
It was a big fairm, an' they had a great scringe o' kwintra for pastur.