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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.

CREEST, Creist, Criest, Creast, Creyst, Cryst(e), Crest, n. and v. [krist, krɛst]

1. n.

(1) “A self-important or officious person” (Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); “a person who is at the same time diminutive and loquacious” (Borders 1808 Jam., creyst).Edb. 1818 Ballad in Edb. Mag. (Oct.) 327:
Sae feckless yet sae crouse a cryste, What maid did ever see!
Kcb. 1893 S. R. Crockett Stickit Minister xv.:
Div ye ken what the craiturs war sayin'? . . . The assurance o' the upsetting creests is juist by ordinar'.
Rxb.2 1916 in T.S.D.C. II.:
“He's a gey criest” is said of a person who is forward and conceited.

†(2) Conceit, self-importance.Kcb. 1837–1902 J. Heughan in Gallovidian (Autumn, 1913) 109:
If swaggerin' Mars the nations' peace did shoar Sune arbitration's wecht his creest wad smoor.

Hence creesty, adj., self-important.Kcb. 1890 A. J. Armstrong Musings 140:
Where mischief is he's to the fore Fu' pawky and fu' creesty.

†(3) In phr. to set up one's creest, to assume an air of importance or self-confidence.Kcb. 1897 A. J. Armstrong Robbie Rankine 39:
Ye'll set up your creest an' talk to me aboot speerit.
Dmf. [1777] J. Mayne Siller Gun (1808) 68:
Sae croose the twa set up their creest, Before the toolie, Fowk thought in other's waems, at least, They'd sheath a goolie.

2. v. To brag, boast; to assume airs of self-importance; to raise (oneself, one's head) proudly. Gen. found as ppl.adj. Also to crest it up, to crest up. Also fig. Watson in Rxb. W.-B. (1923) gives the form crest for Teviotd.Sc. 1887 Jam.6, Add.:
Crackin' an' crystin by the ingle cheek.
w.Sc. 1773 Boswell Tour to Hebrides (1785) 356:
The old minister was standing with his back to the fire, cresting up erect.
Lnk. 1816 G. Muir Cld. Minstrelsy 21:
A loun stood in a corner creastin' Wi' a fore leg.
w.Dmf. 1908 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo (1912) xii.:
There was a wee creistin' mason sittin' on the front bink, yin Dannie Kennedy by name.
s.Sc. 1835–40 J. M. Wilson (ed.) Tales of the Borders II. 163:
The other's criestin his head in a pulpit wi' clean starched bands round his neck.
Rxb.(D) 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes an Knowes 9:
Monie a creestin bit [place] wui a guid ruice o itsel A ken that coodna haud the cannle ti Ancrum for wurth!
Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan I. v., ix.: 
No content that he should crest it up wi' the best born. . . . James crested up, and tauld us plainly that the laird of Howeboddom was a match and mair for the heiress of Fourmerkland.

[O.Sc. has creste, creist, cryst, a crest, from 1513, and creistit, crested (D.O.S.T.), of which the above are prob. extensions in meaning, the crest (of a bird) being taken as a symbol of importance or vanity.]

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"Creest n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 29 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/creest>

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