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 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Spraing, Sprang, n. Also: sprayng, spreing, spraying. [Cf. ME (once) sprenge (Wyclif) a sprinkling, MDu. sprank, MIcel., Norw. sprang. Also in the later dial.]

A glittering or brightly-coloured ray or beam; a streak or stripe of colour. 1513 Doug. vii ii 82.
A byrnand clowd schew from the firmament With fyry sparkis lyke to goldyn bemys, Or twynkilland sprayngis with thar giltin glemys 1513 Doug. ix vi 58.
The corps wantand the hed Lay bullerand, al besprent with sprayngis red, And als the erth grew warm with teppet blude 1513 Doug. xii Prol. 22.
Sprangis 1531 Bell. Boece I xlii.
The thrid kind [of dog] is … reid hewit, or ellis blak, with small spraingis of spottis; and ar callit … sleuthoundis 1538 Treas. Acc. VI 425.
To Thomas Arthure, to be frenȝeis to the said coit with iij sprangis doun the sleif and to frenȝe ane goun [etc.] … lxj dowbill hankis of sewing gold c1571 Lamont P. 89.
Clan Lawmond [tartan] hath settis lyk vnto the Cambels … bot yn the mydward of the ylk greine sette thai haue ane quhite sprang allanerlye c1590 J. Stewart 77/141.
Cleir Aurora darknit clouds schot by, Vpwarping vyd the firmament sereine Vith purpure sprayings from portis christalleine 1597 Skene Verb. S. s.v. Actilia.
Acton … ane forme of armour … maid of taffitie, ledder, or linnen claith, stuffed with caddes, and stiked verie thick with threid, or silke of diverse coullers, and partial gilt, with spranges or streames of gold fuilȝie 1622 Black Bk. Taymouth 362.
Ane gray plaid that hes bot ane sprang of hewis 1628 Edinb. Test. LIV 241.
Small hardin seruiotis with ane sprang of blak threid throw tham c1650 Spalding I 57.
Thair wes sein in Elgyn ane gryt blaseing star like to ane comet, representing the schape of ane crab or cancer, haueing lang broyndis or sprayngis spredding fra the samen 1683 Inv. in Donibristle Mun. (Earl of Moray's MSS) 16.
Thrie pair of plaids with blew listings … tuo pair with read spreings