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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GOURD, adj., v. Also goord, gord, †gurd. [gu:rd]

†I. adj. Stiff; hence, difficult to open, as “the sash of a window, when it will not move” (Lth., Cld. 1825 Jam.), “a door, rusted, its hinges creaked for want of oil” (Rnf. 1837 Crawfurd MSS. XI. 310); “not slippery; applied to ice” (Cld. 1825 Jam.). Also transf. of a person: unbending, inflexible. Arg. 1781 J. Porter Visions (1781) 23:
He looked like a gourd angry man, and had steel harnessing from head to foot.Ayr. 1833 J. Kennedy Geordie Chalmers 213:
Like curlin' stanes takin' an inwick at the tee, on a rink o' goord ice.Rnf. 1870 J. Nicholson Idylls 35:
Ance ye [penknife] wad open wi' a click, But noo ye're grown as gourd's a stick.

Deriv. gourdness, 1. stiffness (Cld. 1825 Jam.); 2. “want of slipperiness” (Ib.).

II. v. Of water: to become pent up, to swell up through being obstructed or stemmed back (n.Sc. 1808 Jam., gurd; ne. Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., gurd, rare, Rxb. 1955).Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Æneis:
We say that water gourds, when it is stopped by earth, shrubs, ice or snow, etc.

Ppl.adj. gourded, 1. of water: pent up (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Bnff. 1952); 2. frosted, frozen, numb.2. Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) I. 165:
Some hands were swell'd on this occasion, Within the hilting of the sword, That to pull out, they seem'd full gourd.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 234:
Gorded lozens. Panes of window-glass, in the time of frost, are so termed.n.Sc. 1904 I. Sinclair Thistle and Fleur de Lys 34:
My hands are fair gorded.