Cran

Quick meaning: Cran is a noun meaning (music) An embellishment played on the lowest note of a chanter of a bagpipe, consisting of a series of grace notes produced by rapid sequential lifting of the fingers of the lower hand.

Meaning

(music) An embellishment played on the lowest note of a chanter of a bagpipe, consisting of a series of grace notes produced by rapid sequential lifting of the fingers of the lower hand.

More Meanings

1. Alternative form of qiran.
2. (obsolete, rare, by extension) A barrel made to hold such a measure.
3. (obsolete) A measure of herrings, either imprecise or sometimes legally specified. It has oftentimes been about 37½ imperial gallons, or ~750 herrings on average (up to 1200 or even ~2500).

Example Sentences

But I've fished a lifetime, boy and man, And the final trawl scarcely makes a cran.

[…] And fish the knolls on the North Sea Holes And try your luck at the North Shields Gut With a catch of a hundred cran.

His brother caught three hundred cran when the seas were lavish, / Threw the bleeders back in the sea and went upon the parish.

Very flattering indeed has been the success of the fishermen; and many boats have come in loaded, averaging thirty or forty crans each (every cran estimated at 1,000 herrings), and disposed of their cargoes at nine shillings per cran; but the price has been since raised to fifteen shillings.

Word Forms

• crans
• crane

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include grit, rattee, rood, reed, roke, raft.

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