An etymological dictionary of the Scottish language - Electric Scotland

COP [494] COR
COPY, s. Plenty, abundance.
Of all come thare is copy gret,
Pese, and atys, here, and qwhet.
Wyntown, Cron. i. 13. 5.
Lat. cop-ia. Macpherson views it as formed for the
sake of alliteration, as it seldom occurs.
COR, CUE, CAR, an inseparable particle, entering
into the composition of a considerable
number of Scottish words, those especially
spoken in Menteith. V. CUR.
CORANICH, CORRENOTH, CORYNOCH,
CORRINOCH, CRONACH, s. 1. A dirge, a
lamentation for the dead, S.
And we sail serue, Secundum usum Samm,
And mak yow saif, we find S. Blase to broche,
Cryand for yow the cairfull Corrinoch.
Papingo, Lyndsay's Warkis, 1592, p. 208.
Grit pitie was to heir and se
The noys and dulesum hermonie,
That evir that dreary day did daw,
Cryand the Corynoch on hie,
Alas, alas I for the Harlawt
Battle of Harlaw, Evergreen,
" The Coranich, or singing at funerals,
i. 78.
is still in use
in some places. The songs are generally in praise of
the deceased ; or a recital of the valiant deeds of him
or his ancestors." Pennant's Tour in Scot., 1769, p.
112.
Brawly can he lilt and sing
Canty glee or Highland cronach.
O. Thomson's S. Songs, iv.
Gael, coranach. This word is originally Ir., and is
derived by Obrien from cora, a choir, which he again
derives from Lat. chorus, (vo. Cora.)
2. Used improperly for a cry of alarm, a sort
of war-cry.
Be he the Correnoth had done schout,
Ersche men so gadderit him about, &c.
Bannatyne Poems, p. 30.
3. This word must also have been occasionally
used in the Highlands and districts adjoining
to them, as denoting a proclamation of out-
lawry by means of the bagpipe.
The loud Corrinoch then did me exile,
Throw Lome, Argile, Menteith and Breadalbane.
Duncan Laider, MS. Wartan, Hist. E. P., ii. 278.
CORBACK, s. Expl. the "roof of a house,"
Dumfr.
The ship sometimes jump'd corbacks height,
O'er whales asleep an' siiorin'.
Davidson's Seasons, p. 18.
C. B. cor, a point, balch, prominent, towering; q.
" the towering point" of a house. It may, however,
be allied to S. banks.
CORBAUDIE, s.
"
There comes in Corbaudie"
that is, the obstacle; used in regard
to a plausible hypothesis, which is
opposed
by some great difficulty that occurs ; Upp.
Clydes.
C. B. gorbaid signifies, "totally ceased, or at rest ;"
corbwy-aw, to domineer, to beat or keep down ; corbwyad,
a domineering or keeping down ; Owen.
CORBIE, CORBY, s. 1. A raven ; Corvus
corax, Linn. ; S., Orkn. ; a crow, A. Bor.
Gl. Grose.
Sir Corby Raven was maid ane procitour.
Henryseme's Fab. , Dog, Wolf, and Sheep,
Bannatyne MS., Gl. Compl.
"
Eagles, corbies, and crows, often do great damage
to the corn and young lambs." P. Delting, Shetl.
Statist. Ace., i. 407.
"Ae corbie will no pyke out anither's een," S.
Prov. ; spoken of those of one profession, or of similar
dispositions, who will do all in their power to support
each other, as far as the credit of their common profession,
or humour, is concerned.
This, like the Pyat or Magpie, is in the estimation
of the vulgar and superstitious, a bird of evil omen :
-Yesterday, workin' my stockin,
An' you wi' the sheep on the hill,
A muckle black corby sat croakin ;
I kent it forbodit some ill.
A. Scott's Poems, p. 192.
Even the crow, although a more harmless bird,
has not escaped this odium. I need scarcely refer to
the well known verse :
Saepe sinistra cava pradixit ab ilice comix.
Virg. Ed. I.
Fr. corbeau, Sw. Norv. korp, Ital. corvo, Lat. corp-
us, id.
CORBIE-AITS, s, pi. A species of black oats,
different from those called shiacks, S. B.
Perhaps from their dark colour, as resembling a
raven.
CORBIE MESSENGER, a messenger who either
returns not at all, or too late, S.
Thou corby me-isinger, quoth he, with sorrow now singis ;
Thow ischit out of Noyis ark, and to the erd wan ;
Tareit as tratour, and brocht na tadingis.
Houlate, iii. 14. MS.
He send furth Corbie Messingeir,
Into the air for to espy
Gif he saw ony montanis dry.
Sum sayis the Rauin did furth remane,
And come nocht to the ark agane.
Lyndsay's Warkis, 1592, p. 41.
In vulgar conversation, the phrase is improperly
expressed, Corbie's Messenger.
"When I came to kiss his Majesty's hand, I was
gladly made welcome : his Majesty alledging that I
was Corbie's Messenger." Melvil's Mem., p. 170.
This proverbial phrase has evidently had its origin
from the scriptural account given of the raven that
was sent forth from the ark, but did not return.
" It is far mair than our lives are worth for us to
stay here. Now, I wadna like that we were trowed
to be corbie messengers." Perils of Man, ii. 91.
CORBIE-STEPS, s. pi.
The projections of
the stones, on the slanting part of a gable,
resembling steps of stairs, S.
It has been fancied that they might receive this
denomination, q. steps for the corbies, or ravens, to sit
on. But it is evidently from Fr. corbeau, a corbeil in
masonry.
This etymon is confirmed by the use of corball stones
in writing as synon.
"The stone wall at Lundy, with the corball stones
att the tope of it, was buelt be Johne Paterson, meason,"
&c. Lament's Diary, p. 174.