Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GARB, n. Sc. usages:

1. Poor cloth, thin material of open weave (Bnff.², Abd.⁷ 1925); an article made of poor material (Abd.²⁷ 1953).Abd.¹³ 1910:
That shoot o' claes that ye've bocht is jist a garb.Abd.⁵ 1924:
Holding up a piece of cloth, a man said: “That's a gey garb. A cud spit throwe't, lat aleen read the Lord's prayer.”

2. Fig.: a thin coating (used only of frost) (Kcb.⁹, Dmf. 1953).Kcb.⁸ 1916:
There has been a garb of frost.