partan Sc. and north. dial.
(ˈpɑːtən)
Also 6 partane, pertane, 7–9 parten, 9 partin, parton.
[app. from Celtic: in Gael. partan, Manx partan, Ir. partón, portán crab; ulterior history unknown.]
1. A crab; esp. the common crab, Cancer pagurus.
| c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. i. 813 In to þe watyr of Ganges..wormys als of hugis strenythe, Lyk to partanys heyr ar þa, And on þar cors has armys twa. 1549 Compl. Scot. xix. 159 Plutarque rehersis ane exempil of the partan, quhilk repreuit ane of hyr ȝong partans, be cause the ȝong partan vald nocht gang euyn furtht, bot rather sche ȝeid crukit, bakuart, and on syd. 1693 Wallace Descr. Orkney Isl. ii. 14 Lobsters, Partens, Mussels. 1710 Sibbald Fife ii. ii. [iii.] 55 Cancer marinus Vulgaris, the Common Sea-Crab; our Fishers call it a Partan. 1816 Scott Antiq. xi, A half-a-dozen o' partans to make the sauce. 1894 Crockett Raiders (ed. 3) 75 Progressing, as the partan..is said to do, backwards. |
b. The shore crab,
Carcinus mœnas.
| 1790 Grose Provinc. Gloss. MS. add. (C.) (E.D.D.), Partan, a kind of small crab..not eaten, as it is said to be poisonous. 1880 Antrim & Down Gloss., Parten, the shore crab, Carcinus mœnas. |
2. fig. An ill-favoured or ill-natured person.
| 1896 Barrie Tommy iv. 45 Tak' that, you glowering partan! 1899 Crockett A. Mark xx. 163 A silly partan o' a bairn like this. |
3. attrib. and
Comb. partan-cage, a crab-trap;
partan-crab = sense 1;
ˈpartan-face, an ill-favoured or sour-faced creature, a term of abuse:
cf. sense 2;
ˌpartan-ˈfull a., as full as a crab is of meat;
ˈpartan-ˌhanded a., close-fisted, stingy;
ˈpartan-ˈtoe, a crab's claw.
| 1899 Crockett A. Mark xviii. 140 To set his *partan cages in Byness Bay. |
| 1893 Stevenson Catriona xxii, A boat, that was backed like a *partan-crab. |
| 1895 Roy Horseman's Wd. xii. (E.D.D.), Answer yoursell, *parten-face, gin you're grown sic a wonder o' wisdom. |
| 1787 Taylor Poems 56 (E.D.D.) She was sae *partan-fu' o' pride. |
| 1823 Galt Entail xci, Ye *partan-handit,..Mammon o' unrighteousness. |
| a 1568 ‘Listis Lordis, I sall yow tell’ 57 (Bannatyne MS.) With ten *pertane tais, And nyne knokis of windil strais. |