Also 6–7 cranck(e. [Of obscure origin: not easily connected with the other adjs. and sbs. of same spelling.]
† 1. Rank, lusty, vigorous, in good condition.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XI. xi. (1495), 396. Snowe nourysshyth and fedyth good herbes, and makyth theym cranke.
1548. Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Mark ii. 20. He who was a litle before bedred … was now cranke and lustie.
1659. Howell, Lexicon To Philologer, [The English language alters] sometimes the sense of the words which she borrows; as she useth crank for being lively and well, whereas ’tis sick in Dutch.
2. Lively, brisk, in high spirits; lusty, sprightly, merry; aggressively high-spirited, disposed to exult or triumph, ‘cocky.’ Now dial. and in U.S.
1499. Pynson, Promp. Parv., Corage or cranke, crassus, coragiosus.
c. 1500. Maid Emlyn, 290, in Hazl., E. P. P., IV. 92. She was full ranke, And of condycyons cranke, And redy was alwaye.
1548. W. Patten, Exped. Scot., in Arb., Garner, III. 94. The Scots … showed themselves upon sundry brunts, very crank and brag.
1592. Warner, Alb. Eng., VII. xxxvii. (1612), 179. Princes Fauours often make the fauored too cranke.
1602. Dekker, Satiromastix, Wks. 1873, I. 234. This Man at Armes has … some friend in a corner, or else hee durst not be so cranke.
1611. Cotgr., s.v. Ioyeux, As crank as a Cocke Sparrow.
1655. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., xi. § 3 (1669), 114/2. Would not our bloud much more grow too rank and we too cranck and wanton, if we should feed long on such luscious food?
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm., Wks. 1716, I. 112. It becometh them … to be … jocund and crank in their humour.
a. 1716. South, Serm., VI. 21 (T.). How came they to grow so extremely crank and confident?
1736. Pegge, Kenticisms, Crank,… merry, cheery.
1856. Mrs. Stowe, Dred, I. 317 (Bartlett). If you strong electioners didn’t think you were among the elect, you wouldn’t be so crank about it.
1860. Holland, Miss Gilbert, xxi. 385. We feel pretty crank about having a book-writer here in Crampton.
† B. quasi-adv. Boldly, briskly, lustily. Obs.
1579. Spenser, Sheph. Cal., Sept., 46. As cocke on his dunghill, crowing cranck.
1594. Carew, Tasso (1881), 102. Since thee he mates so cranke.
