Dictionaries of the Scots Language:: SND

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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: 1922

[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]

CLUNK, v.² To walk heavily (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁹ 1936). [klʌŋk]Lnk. 1922 T. S. Cairncross Scot at Hame 22:
And Jean just clunks aboot Reddin' up wi' muckle clutter.

Hence clunker, a large, heavy foot.Ags.(D) 1922 J. B. Salmond Bawbee Bowden xv.:
An' syne I saw Sandy's muckle clunkers stickin' oot ablo the bed pand.

[Phs. onomat., or the same as e.Yks. dial. clunt, to walk in a heavy, noisy manner (E.D.D.), for which N.E.D. compares Du. klont, E.Fris. klunt, clod, lump, heavy stamping foot. The interchange of t and k is fairly common in Sc., cf. Bruckle and Eng. brittle, Chack, n.³, and Chat, n.², etc. The present word may have been influenced, however, by Clunk, n.¹, 1, a dull, clanking sound.]

Clunk v.2

Top

Hide Quotations
Hide Etymology

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Clunk v.2". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 8 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/clunk_v2>

6862

snd

Hide Advanced Search

Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Clunk v.2

Browse SND:

Dictionaries of the Scots Language Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Clunk v.2

Browse SND:

Share:

Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid