partan
Definition
Noun (Scottish dialect): - A "partan" is a crab, particularly the edible common crab (Cancer pagurus), found in coastal waters around Scotland and northern Europe.
Usage Examples
- (A crab was caught during fishing.)
- (A pie made with crab meat.)
Advanced Usage
- "to be a partan": (figurative, rare) to be someone who is crabby or irritable, drawing on the crab's nature.
- He's been a real partan all morning, snapping at everyone. (He is acting grumpy like a crab.)
Variants and Related Words
- Partan pie (n): a traditional Scottish dish made from crab meat, breadcrumbs, and spices, baked in a shell.
- We ordered partan pie at the pub in Edinburgh. (A crab-based pie.)
Synonyms
- Crab: the standard English term for the crustacean.
- Crustacean: a broader term for animals like crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.
- Clawed crab: a more specific term for crabs with prominent claws, such as the brown crab.
Related Idioms
- "as red as a partan": an old Scottish simile meaning very red, often used to describe someone sunburned or blushing.
- After a day at the beach, his face was as red as a partan. (His face was extremely red.)
Notes
- The word "partan" is primarily used in Scottish English and is rarely encountered in other dialects. It appears in historical texts, folklore, and regional cuisine references.