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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.

CRAME, n. and v. Also forms craem(e), craim, cream, creme, krame, creim, kraim (Rxb. 1825 R. Wilson Hist. Hawick iv.), kream,  misprint crane (Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 78). [krem]

I. n. ‡1. A merchant's booth, stall, or tent, where goods are exposed for sale (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 144, craim). Also fig. Formerly Gen.Sc. Also found in Nhb. dial. (E.D.D.).Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xiv.:
Sae mony royal boroughs yoked on end to end, like ropes of ingans, with their hie-streets, and their booths, nae doubt, and their craemes, and houses of stane and lime.Sc. 1938 Kirsty's Point of View in Scotsman (4 April) 16:
Gettin' onything oot o' some o' yon sermons is just like rummagin' in the bran barrel at a sale o' work — a' ye can find is some bit o' rubbish they couldna' sell off the crames.Bnff. 1880 J. F. S. Gordon Chrons. of Keith 3:
One noticeable relic still sticks fast, . . . Five Blind Arches or Kreams . . . used by the merchants . . . to vend their goods at Summarius Fair.Edb. 1825 R. Chambers Trad. of Edb. (1869) 117:
Each recess, angle, and coigne of vantage in the wall of the church being occupied by little shops . . . devoted to the sale of gloves, toys, lollipops, etc. These were the Krames, so famous at Edinburgh firesides.Bwk. 1823 A. Hewit Poems 66:
An' let the auld forsaken dame Wi' youthfu' dress set out her crame, That she may kinnle am'rous flame.Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 133:
Every body ran to the kirk it had ony thing ado, an it were to buy saut or shune, for the chapman chiels set up a' their creims at the kirk-door.Dmf. [1777] J. Mayne Siller Gun (1808) 38:
Craems, ginge-bread-stawns, legerdemain, And raree-shows, Entic'd young sparks to entertain, And treat their joes.

Combs.: (1) creme-ware, goods sold from a stall, merchandise; (2) crame-wife, cream-, krame-, a woman who keeps a stall at a market or fair (Rxb. 1825 Jam.², cream-, crame-; 1923 Watson W.-B., krame-, crame-).(1) Sc. 1701 J. Brand Descr. Orkney, Zetland, etc. 131:
Set up Booths or Shops, where they sell . . . several sorts of Creme-Ware, as Linen, Muslin, etc.

†2. A pack or bundle.em.Sc. 1706 Mare of Collingtoun in J. Watson Choice Collection (1869) i. 40:
Oft have I turst your Hether Crame And born your self right oft-times Hame.

†II. v. To hawk goods; to sell from a crame.Slg. 1729 Slg. Burgh Rec. (1889) 16 Sept.:
Chapmen who then cream in the mercat of this burgh, and are not gild bretheren.

Hence cramer, creamer, crimer, one who sells goods from a pack or stall; creamery, a packman's goods.Sc. 1721 W. Cramond Ch. of Fordyce (1886) 57:
Legacy of John Watson, cramer in Edinburgh, of 1000 merks.Abd. 1748 Sc. N. & Q. (Ser. 2) II. 175: 
In 1748 an advertisement of hardware goods mentioned creamery.Ags. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ II. 508:
Creamers, (persons who go through the parish . . . and buy butter, hens, eggs, etc., mostly for the Dundee market).Lnk. 1721 Lnk. Burgh Rec. 303:
Merchants, packmen, and other crimers.