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.
Quotation dates: 1375-1626
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Gredines, Gredynes, n. Also: gredie-, gredenes, gredynesse; greid(d)i-, gridines. [ME.gredy-, gredinesse, early grædinæsse (1154).] Greediness, greed. Const. of gere, gudis, etc.(a) 1375 Barb. xii. 306.
I pray ȝhow … That nane of ȝow for gredynes Haf e till tak of thair riches c1420 Wynt. viii. 3170.
A gredy carle … wes Byrnand in swylk gredynes 1456 Hay II. 57/18.
The gredynes of gude blyndis thair hye curage 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 5323.
Ȝour greit couatice, Ȝour gredynes and birnand auarice c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 468.
Your gredynes it stinkis and fylis the air a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS xxx. 10.
God is forȝeit for gredynes of geir a1570-86 Ib. c. 34.
Gredynes of ony land or teyndis 1622-6 Bisset II. 235/22.
In respect of there greit gredynes or uncourtesnes at all tyme(b) a1400 Legends of the Saints v. 204.
Riches, That he gadderis with gredines c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxi. 99.
With gredines I sie this world ourgane 1567 Gude and Godlie Ballatis 211.
That raisit the mother of mischief, Ȝour gredines 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 24.
Unsaciabill gredines … without … mesour in covatise a1578 Pitsc. I. 136/5.
Auld awaricius gredienes of courteouris 1596 Dalr. II. 168/32.
Fra nedines and gredines, vices quhilkes obscuir gretlie nobilitie(c) a1500 Tale of the Colkelbie Sow i. 32.
Auaritious wynnyng Quhair mesur is not maistres Bot gaddering for gredenes a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS cvi. 5.
Invy and gredenes, Desait and vnkyndnes, Oppressioun of the pure [etc.](d) a1578 Pitsc. I. 306.
The erle of Angus gridiness a1570-86 Maitland Folio MS clxxv. 2.
This warld … Off greiddines vnsatiabill 1596 Dalr. I. 170/30.
For he coulde stanche nather his vnquencheable … lust, nather his auaritious greidines 1618 Craig vi. 6/2.
Hee that taks pains and travell sleepeth best, With greidines hee taks refreshing rest
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"Gredines n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/gredines>
