Chiefly Sc. Forms: 5–9 Sc. croyn, (5–7 croyne, 9 croin), 6 Sc. cruin, 6–9 crune, 8– croon. [Originally only northern, chiefly Sc. (krön, krün), whence in 19th c. Eng. mainly since Burns. It corresponds to Du. kreunen to groan, whimper, MDu. krônen to lament, mourn loudly, groan, MLG. kronen to growl, grumble, scold, EFris. krōnen to cause to weep; cf. also OHG. chrônnan (:— -njan), chrônan, MLG. kroenen to chatter, prattle, babble, and chrôn, crôn adj. talkative, chattering, noisy. There is no trace of the word in OE., and it appears to be one of the LG. words that came into Sc. early in the ME. period: its form is that of a word in ME. ō. (In Towneley Myst., as in MSc., oy = ō.)]
1. intr. To utter a continued, loud, deep sound; to bellow as a bull, to roar, low; to boom as a bell. Sc. or north. dial.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VI. iv. 40. The ground begouth to rummys, croyn, and ring, Vndir thair feit [sub pedibus mugire solum].
1588. [see CROONING ppl. a.].
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Réer, In tearmes of hunting we say, that the red Deere bells, and the fallow troytes or croynes.
1674–91. Ray, N. C. Words, 140. To Crune, mugire.
1787. Burns, Holy Fair, xxvi. Now Clinkumbell, wi rattlin tow, Begins to jow an’ croon.
1813. Hogg, Queen’s Wake, ii. Wks. (1876), 35. Even the dull cattle crooned and gazed.
1828. Southey, Brough Bells, Poems 1837, VI. 227.
| ‘Thou hear’st that lordly Bull of mine, | |
| Neighbour,’ quoth Brunskill then; | |
| ‘How loudly to the hills he crunes, | |
| That crune to him again.’ |
2. To utter a low murmuring sound; to sing (or speak) in a low murmuring tone; to hum softly.
(The earlier quots. may have been ironical or humorous uses of sense 1.
c. 1460. Towneley Myst., 116. Primus P. For to syng … I can. Sec. P. Let se how ye croyne. Can ye bark at the mone?
1578. Gude & Godlie Ballates (1868), 179. The Sisters gray befoir this day, Did crune within thair cloister.
1801. H. Macneill, Poems, II. 17. Whan, crooning quietly by himsel, He fram’d the lay.
1832. Motherwell, Jeanie Morrison, vii. To wander by this green burnside, And hear its waters croon.
1877. Amelia B. Edwards, Up Nile, xix. 571. I hear a mother crooning to her baby.
b. To make murmuring lament or moan. Sc. or north. dial.
1823. Galt, Entail, I. ii. 11. Frae the time o’ the sore news, she croynt awa, and her life gied out like the snuff o’ a can’le. Ibid. (1830), Lawrie T., I. ii. 6. Croining and dwining, peaking and pining, at the fire-side.
1880. Antrim & Down Gloss., Croon, to lament, wail.
3. trans. To sing (a song, tune, etc.) in a low murmuring undertone; to hum.
1790. Burns, Tam O’Shanter, 84. Whiles crooning o’er some auld Scots sonnet.
1848. Dickens, Dombey (C. D. ed.), 60. Paul sometimes crooning out a feeble accompaniment.
1872. J. G. Holland, Marb. Proph., 61. Over the cradle the mother hung, Softly crooning a slumber-song.
Hence Crooning vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
1588. A. Hume, Hymns, Triumph of the Lord, 234 (Bannatyne Club), 41. Be cruining Bulls of heigh and haughtie minde.
1828. Southey, Brough Bells, Poems 1837, VI. 227. That cruning of the kine?
1859. Geo. Eliot, A. Bede, xviii. The cocks and hens … made only crooning subdued noises.
1872. Black, Adv. Phaeton, II. xix. 82. As soft and musical as the crooning of a wood-pigeon.
