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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Gray, Gra, n. Pl. grayis, -es, grais. [e.m.E. gray, grey, ME. grei, fur (a 1200), cloth (c 1230), f. Gray a.]

1. Gray cloth.a. sing. (a) c1475 Wall. vi. 452.
His febill weid off gray 1493 Halyb. 5.
4 ellis of gray to mak a gon 1568 Edinb. B. Rec. III. 254.
Ane goun of gray with Sanct Androis cors 1583 Edinb. Test. XII. 262 b.
xxiiij elnis of quhyt gray … ; xv elnis … blak gray.; xviij elnis … lyning gray 1591 Digest Justic. Proc. O. 22.
He … gaif him ane self blak cloik of gray 1591 Edinb. Test. XXIII. 313.
xj quarteris … of Dundie gray at xl s. the elne 1598 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 223.
Als mekill gray as will be fyve freirs weids and sum gros reid clayth to be the weid of ane paip and his cardinelle to serve the play(b) 1535 Stewart 45901.
Ane Hieland clerk, cled in ane rob of gra 1540 Maxwell Mem. 409.
Ane ryding coit lynit with blak gra of chergisb. pl. 1512 Dunkeld Rentale. 148.
Quinquaginta octo vlne pannj lie blak grais 1571 Inverness Rec. I. 210.
I want tuay peces of clayth, viz., ane pece of Dundye grais … and ane wther pece of Kynsay greyne 1574 Edinb Test. III. 94.
Ane cloik of grayis & ane kirtill of Scottis blak 1583 Ib. XII. 83 b.
Thrie elnis & ane half of ros grayis price of the eln iij s 1607 Ib. XLII. 325.
viij elvis blew grayis 1621 Acts IV. 626/2.
That the housband men and laboreris … weare no cloathing bot grayes, quhyit, blew, and selff blak claithe maid in Scotland 1632 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. II. 384.
Thrie ellis grayes new cloith quhilk the persewar gaiv to ane hird

2. A grey-haired person. 1513 Doug. ii. ix. 6 (Sm.).
The auld gray [L. senior], all for nocht, to him tays His hawbrick

3. Refuse meal. 1663 Melrose Reg. Rec. II. 73.
For meal and ‘gray’ bought from the pursuers