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.

GRIMET, adj. Also greemit, -ed, gre(i)mit. Also deriv. grimelt (Ork.⁵ 1955). [′gri:mət]

1. Soiled, begrimed (Sh. 1880 Jam. greimit), dirty in the face, esp. of a face having dirty streaks (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., gremit, 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh., ‡Ork. 1955); discoloured, patchy. Also in Eng. dial.Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 22:
Dey wir a braw coarn o' grund swall, an hit wisna lang afore I noteeced Kirsie's face turnin' kind o' greemit laek.

2. Of cattle: having a white face with dark spots or stripes (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl.; Ork. 1929 Marw., greemit; Sh. 1955).Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 120:
The “shumed coo” was one having a wide white stripe down the face, while the “greemed coo” had spots on the face.

3. Of the earth: “covered with a very thin layer of snow, esp. with bare patches here and there, when a thaw has set in” (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1955). Cf. Grime.