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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CRINE, Cryn(e), v. Also krine, kreen, crein, croyn, croin, crind. [krəin Sc., but Cai., Bnff., Ags. + krin, Ayr. + krɔin]

1. intr.

(1) To shrink, to shrivel (with age, heat, etc.), lit. and fig. Of persons and things (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 81, cryn; 1887 Jam.⁶, krine, kreen; Bnff.⁴ 1926, crein; Bch. 1910 (per Abd.¹¹), cryne; Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn; Fif., Edb., Ayr., Dmf. 2000s); often used with in (Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 241), also with away, into, doon (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Freq. found as ppl.adj. crined, croint, = shrivelled, shrunken, narrow, “stunted in growth” (Abd.⁷ 1925). Gen.(exc.I.)Sc.Sc. 1743 R. Maxwell Select Trans. 81:
Being very watery and soft, the after-Growth crines and dries in (when made into Hay) to a small Bulk.Sc. 1936 J. G. Horne Flooer o' the Ling 63:
May, June, July, The simmer's by An' days are crinin in.Sc. 1991 William Wolfe in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 65:
Glower o sun an snell wund drocht thaim sair an
Bluid an watter crine on peths wi nae devaul. Sc. 1995 James S. Adam New Verses for an Auld Sang 13:
We're born and we're mairrit, syne happit in clay,
an maist o's 'll traivel that gait, culture crinan;
it's gey near thon morn whan oor lugs'll ding sair
wi scorn fae oor bairns owre twa tongues they'll be tynan. Bnff.(D) 1930 E. S. Rae Waff o' Win' 63:
O braw's the licht an' glitter O' the crined and croodit street.Abd. 2000 Sheena Blackhall The Singing Bird 33:
I fand a flooer, dowie, crined,
Nae langer scented, in a buik.
An syne a fey, ootlandish thocht
Tuik root an throve in Fancy's neuk. m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 56:
An as the boar hes gane, sae crine oor neebor trees
an gin the seedlin isna gart tae growe,
sae man will tine oor saucht an michtie bield. m.Sc. 2005:
She's 76 now and she's crinin in.Fif. 1899 “S. Tytler” Miss Nance vii.:
I would not have believed that one of the principal rooms in my father's house could have crined (shrunk) into a hole like this.Fif. 1991 Tom Hubbard in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 143:
Why suid my een, aye vieve efter the years
o cruellest sains o fechtin, cryne fae this sicht? Edb. 2005:
The puir auld sowel's fair crinin in since he broke his hip. Peb. 1793 Carlop Green (ed. R. D. C. Brown 1832) 23:
Here's frae Blair-bog the pricker prim; Crined, useless Yuky wee.Arg. 1929 (per Arg.¹):
The blackberries are aa crined in noo; they're no worth the gatherin.Ayr. 1834 Galt Lit. Life II. 216:
You're croint an' wan.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr. Duguid 285–286:
But when I too have fairly croynt awa, and utterly faded from the sicht of man, I would yet hope to leeve in my book for a wee while langer.Dmf. 1925 W. A. Scott in Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. 22:
That claith is crinin' wi' the wash.

(2) To cringe (Cai.⁷ 1941, kreen).

2. tr. To cause to shrink or shrivel. Gen. with up, in. Known to Abd.⁹, Slg.³ 1941.Sc. 1832–46 T. Mather in Whistle-Binkie (5th Series) 45:
The drouth it had krin'd up and slacken'd the screw.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff., Add. 221:
Y'ive crinet yer caar by spehnin thim our seen.Ags. 1897 F. MacKenzie North. Pine 231:
Ye hae crindit me in this nicht till I'm less buikit than a grain o' sand.