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.
Quotation dates: 1721-1732, 1818, 1880-1925
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CRUELS, CRUALS, CRUELLS, Crewels, n.pl. Scrofula, the "king's evil" (Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. Ork. Par. (1922) 150, cruals; Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn., cruels); known to Bnff.2, Fif.10, Kcb.1 (crewels) 1941. Occas. in sing. (Ags. 1721 W. M. Inglis Ags. Parish (1904) 98, Ayr. c.1728 Select Biog. (Wodrow Soc.) II. 451). [′kruəlz]Sc. 1721–22 R. Wodrow Hist. Sufferings Church of Scot. II. 445:
Not long after, his right Hand and right Knee broke out in a running Sore, called the Cruels.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xlvii.:
A beloved child sick to death of the crewels.Ork.(D) 1880 Dennison Sketch Bk. 37–38:
The geud man geed awa' dat mornin' tae Rusness, tae see a ceusin o' his 'at wus lyan' badly i' the cruals.Bnff. 1732 in W. Cramond Church of Grange (1898) 93:
Given to a poor boy bad of the cruels 12/-.Fif. 1912 D. Rorie Mining Folk 405:
Swollen glands (referred to as "waxen kernels" or "cruels") are looked on as a sign of the system being "down."Arg.1 1925:
He wuz bothered wi' his neck an' his grannie said it wad be the cruals. The cruals is no' as common noo as it was wance; I nuvver seed it mysel'.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr. Duguid 140:
Ane of his brithers had a very sair income from the cruells.
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"Cruels n. pl.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Sep 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cruels>
