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.
Gret, Grett, a., n., and adv. [ME. grett(e, gret (c 1250), var. of Grete a., with shortened vowel after gretter, orig. the compar. of grete, and the analogical superl. grettest.]
1. = Grete a. 1. a. In the positive form.Found early in place-names, as Gretrigesmedue (c 1170), Gretryg (c 1214), Gretlau (a 1300). For later examples see also Brede n.1 2, Sele n., Signet n.(1) 1375 Barb. vi. 252.
A gret stane than by him saw he c1420 Wynt. i. 751.
A gret bane … has he … quhar hys teth sulde be Ib. v. 1441.
Justyne … Abbregyde all tha gret storys Ib. 4282.
The crowne of Gret Brettane 1458 Reg. Great S. 143/1.
[To levy] of ilke gret bat sex pennys … alsa of ilk smale bate twa pennys c1420 Ratis R. 873.
Set neuer thi hart … To haue gret thing in gouernyng c1515 Asl. MS. I. 154/25.
Europia strekis dounwart … and lestis till the gret see Ib. 188/29.
Quhilk was tald to the prince of gret Scotland, … and than the kingis son … come in les Scotland 1513 Doug. xii. ix. 124.
Mesapus, … That of gret hors the dantar clepit was 1517 Misc. Spald. C. II. 79.
Tua gret almerris, four small almerris 1531 Bell. Boece I. 243.
At last thay ran al togidder in ane gret bleis 1570 Leslie 298.
Certane of hir gret shippes … still awaitet alongest the coist of Ingland 1590 Burel Pilgr. xvii.
Quhen gret wild beists … into hols and bors thame hyd 1596 Dalr. I. 36/6.
Vndir the earth ar fund gret stokis and Blokis of … tries Ib. 309/2.
Frome a grett heid he is namet Canmoir(2) 1375 Barb. xvii. 196.
Thai war abasit in gret thing a1400 Leg. S. xiii. 157.
Ane angel come with gret lycht Ib. xxxvi. 760.
Of betone thare is gret copy c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 3004.
His sone … Him prayit to ceis of his gret teris c1420 Wynt. vi. 1494.
He … spylt gret blude wnwayndandly c1420 Ratis R. 1407.
Quhether thow may … a pwre man bee, Ore gret riches grow in to thé 1541 Stirlings of Keir 368.
Ane grett part of the auld heretage … was likelie to haif dekeit a1568 Scott xxxvi. 31.
Quhyttar than the snaw gret deill(3) 1375 Barb. xvii. 284.
A gret folk than with him had he Ib. xviii. 272.
Than send thai furth a gret menȝhe 1405 James of Douglas Letter to Henry IV in Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
Yhour men of Inglande has rydyne in Scotlande wyth gret company c1420 Wynt. iii. 285.
The Phylisteis … Agayne him come with a gret ost a1500 Lanc. 731.
Of fute folk he had a gret powere 1513 Doug. xiii. vi. 74.
The kyng Latyn Beheld the gret assemly and convyn 1573-1600 Burne Cath. Tr. 162/6.
Rydand their vith ane gret court on ane trim gelding 1596 Dalr. II. 397/26.
The clargie in gret number compeiret to the counsel(4) 1375 Barb. xi. 141.
Quhen the kyng his host has seyne So gret, so gud men, and so cleyne Ib. xx. 403.
The gret master of saint Jak a1400 Leg. S. xxviii. 61.
This Margret … Wes borne … of kine gret & clere Ib. xlii. 123.
Quhy channeris thu my gret god agane c1420 Wynt. vii. 171.
Gret and hey persownys, Byschapys, erlys, and barownys Ib. viii. 6964.
Quhen gret men … Come dayis off trwys for till hald c1475 Wall. viii. 1606.
Was nayn so gret durst his nychtbur disples Ib. ix. 667.
To the gret god my wow now her I mak 1490 Acta Conc. 153/1.
William Lord of Sanct Johnes, gret maister of houshalde to our souerane lord 1495 Ib. 417/1.
Lord Halis, gret admirall of Scotland 1513 Doug. v. vii. 93.
With thir agane gret Hercules stude he 1529 Reg. Privy S. I. 592/2.
Robert Bartoun, … gret custumar of Scotland 1543 Corr. M. Lorraine 13.
To saw discord … amangis gret men c1552 Lynd. Mon. 243.
Beseikand the gret God to be my muse(5) a1400 Leg. S. xix. 182.
In abstinens thu mon be gret, & fore-bere oft drynk & met c1515 Asl. MS. I. 281/9.
King Sallamon quhilk was sa gret in naturall wysdome c1500 Fyve Bestis 185.
He was na gret bachillar in sophistry 1513 Doug. xii. viii. 38.
Dovn fell also the gret augurian c1552 Lynd. Mon. 358.
‘Thow art ane gret fuill, sonne’, said he 1571 Sat. P. xxix. 2.
So grett a gospelar Ib. 13.
The soutar is the grett prechor(6) 1375 Barb. ii. 182.
Off thar nobleis gret affer … Ȝe sall her na thing now Ib. xi. 232.
Knychtis of full gret renoune a1400 Leg. S. ii. 209.
Paule tham prechit … Of Criste … gret nobillay c1420 Wynt. ii. 325.
The kyng … helde him in tyll gret daynte Ib. v. 1666.
Scho … Had acces gret tyll ane abbay Ib. viii. 2592.
The Scottis men Tuk gret comfwrt 1461 Liber Plusc. 382.
Wes neuir yit more gret pete of a princes c1475 Wall. i. 260.
His modyr bade in till a gret dispar Ib. ix. 918.
Off crystin blud to se it was gret syn a1500 Prestis of Peblis 40 (A).
To gret clergy I can nocht compt nor clame a1500 Bk. Chess 1573.
Awarice … is … The fundement of wycis gret & small 1531 Bell. Boece II. 298.
This croce … is haldin yit in gret veneratioun c1552 Lynd. Mon. 5157.
That thay haue past frome miserie To rest and grett felycitie 1562-3 Winȝet II. 48/30.
Bot quhou gret wes than the admiratioun of him a1578 Pitsc. I. 5/2.
That thay … haid in thame grett wertew and prowes Ib. II. 66/19.
The gret abuse of it is verrie deteistable to him 1596 Dalr. I. 2/21.
Brutus, with grett sollicitude aud kair [etc.](7) 1375 Barb. i. 309.
He wes in gret payn, & gret trawaill Ib. vi. 423.
Thai war in to full gret affray Ib. 535.
The kyng was in gret iuperdy a1400 Leg. S. i. 593.
Ȝe to me has done gret schatht c1420 Wynt. v. 5027.
Off that scho mad sa gret deray Ib. viii. 4987.
Efftyr the gret myscheffis twa, Duplyne and Halidowne a1500 Henr. Fab. 1149 (B).
Under the paynis … Of gret cursing c1475 Wall. ix. 734.
Into the toun gret stryff thar was begon a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1001.
With gret pane he gaif the gaist 1513 Doug. xii. xii. 90.
This … fals blaid … Turnus brocht hes in gret blundir(8) a1400 Leg. S. xxxvi. 522.
He worth sary for to be, For the gret aith that mad had he 1388 Bamff Charters 21.
The quhylk men the gret ath swere that thai sulde devyde the landis of Abbyrlemnoch c1420 Wynt. viii. 863.
Foure scor … sum sayd thai ware, That thare ware stad till a gret ath 1446 Reg. Episc. Brechin I. 105.
To this I oblys me be the trouth of my body and be gret athe sworne 1505 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 65.
Thomas Bisset … deponit the gret aithe that the said Thomas … pundit ane quhit hors 1581 Prot. Bk. W. Cuming 272.
The said day comperit Barbara Vaus … and the gret ayth sworne [etc.]
b. In the compar. grettar(e, -yr, -er.(a) c1420 Wynt. v. Prol. 49.
The grettare lycht is for the day And for the nycht the les alway Ib. vi. 1647.
That purpos And othir grettare purpos als Ib. viii. 465.
Quhen thare fallis sic dystawns In grettare feis, or smallare 1456 Hay I. 179/33.
A symple knycht may nocht lede a baroun quhilk is grettar na he c1475 Wall. vii. 632.
He … tuk at London off Eduuard grettar wage Ib. xi. 260.
For grettar deidis thair men has apon hand 1513 Doug. vii. Prol. 79.
The silly scheip … And othir dantit grettar bestiall Ib. xii. x. 16.
Of a grettar bargane … the figour 1558–9 St. Giles Chart. p. cvi.
Tua grettar chandleris of syluer a1578 Pitsc. I. 19/6.
Quhairby the puir peopill sould tak the grettar feir … to dissobey him 1596 Dalr. II. 227/15.
That we with grettar feruour defend the kirk(b) 1456 Hay I. 153/23.
Al war he mare grete maister or gretter lord na him self Ib. 300/18.
To draw a gretter draucht of decepcioun 1549 Corr. M. Lorraine 319.
This berair will schaw … the causis of my tarye at gretter lenthe c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3902.
Thay … gart hym, for the gretter lack, Beir his awin gallous a1578 Pitsc. II. 218/6.
Becaus he pat downe the puire witches and saiffit gretter 1596 Dalr. I. 87/29.
Sic affinitie … appeiret to haue gretter force Ib. II. 389/5.
A hailstane gretter than a dow eg fell
c. In the superl. grettast, -est.(a) c1420 Wynt. viii. 4261.
The grettast a schype off thame all Ib. 2135.
Off castellis, bowrowys, and fortalys The grettast made hym thare serwys 1513 Doug. iii. i. 109.
The noblis and grettast of our men Ib. xi. i. 32.
The grettast part of our warkis … Beyn endit now 1558 Black Bk. Taymouth 124.
The grettast snaw and storm that was sein in memorie of man lewand(b) c1420 Wynt. v. 59.
In to the Pape is … the cure Off the grettest governale Ib. vi. 742.
The grettest befor lyvand thare The kyng off Frawncis forsteris ware 1456 Hay I. 1/13.
The four principale realmes, grettest of the warld Ib. 256/4.
The grettest clerkis ar in grete dout … in that mater Ib. II. 137/29.
The grettest is ay the best of fische 1515 Douglas Corr. 71.
The grettest of our adversareys a1578 Pitsc. I. 15/13.
He vas estemed the grettest man of renowne … that was the grettest briggane 1596 Dalr. I. 13/9.
The grettest parte of the cuntrey is dedicate to the Kirk
2. = Grete a. (q.v.) in special senses.(1) c1420 Wynt. i. 1042.
Thai merys … baggyd gret wyth foyle 1513 Doug. x. xii. 40.
Quhen Hecuba … Dremyt scho was gret … With a fyre broynd 1530 Lynd. Test. Pap. 841.
Propertie … Grew gret with chylde, … And bure two dochteris(2) 1489 Acta Aud. 138/2.
A last of salmond … saltit with gret salt 1502 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 341.
Ale nichbouris … and ale alienaris that brings in ony gret salt within this havin 1540 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS. 54 b.
Quhite salt … , gret salt(3) 1473–4 Treas. Acc. I. 48.
Gevin to Androu Mowbra for xxx gret of money of Flandris, … lxvj li. xiij s. iiij d. 1490 Acta Conc. 143/2.
The soume of thre li. grete or the avale therof, that is to say for ilke pund gret v noblis 1506 Treas. Acc. III. 55.
Ane hundreth gret … payit to the said schireff, … cclxvj li. xiij s. iv d. 1518 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 94.
Tua s. grett, Flandris money 1540 Acta Conc. & Sess. MS. XIV. 152.
Ane blind sale worth xxx s. grett
b. Gret dusain, ? a gross.1478 Acta Aud. 78/2.
The wrangwis withhalding of a gret dusain of pewder weschiale price iiij li. 1492 Acta Conc. 228/2.
Sex siluer spvnis price vj merkis, a gret dosane of pewder weschale price vij li. 1511 Treas. Acc. IV. 314.
Item … to pay for iij gret dussone Ynglis pewdar weschele, boght be the Kingis command; price of the dussone vij li.
3. Absol. or as noun: a. In plural: Great persons.1375 Barb. xiv. 390.
Richarde of Clar, And othir gret of Irlande a1400 Leg. S. iv. 304.
Thar dronyt all That mad the chas, gret & smal c1420 Wynt. i. Prol. 113.
Reqwyrand the correctioune Off grettare of perfectyoune Ib. v. 1622.
In to sted off thame wes lefft Byschopys, quhare was Flamynes, And archebyschapys quhare grettyr wes c1515 Asl. MS. I. 174/15.
Thai suld do na wrang nothir to gret nor les c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1670.
Than gart he all the peple call To his presens, boith gret and small
b. A great amount.1490 Irland Mir. I. 70/25.
For sa gret of syn came nocht becaus of sa gret a gud
c. In (the) gret, = Grete a. 5 a.14.. Acts I. 333/2.
At thai mak lardnar in gret, and it out tavernis in smallis again the law and statut 1517 Reg. Privy S. I. 457/1.
Utheris personis tappis outwith the fredome of our said burgh, wax, irne … and diuers uther gudis in gret 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 18.
The bying of butter in the gret in the merkat to regrait agane till our Souerane Lordis legis 1530 Ib. 21.
Westland cadgearis and owtland men byis the meill in gret
d. A Flemish groat.1449 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. II. 327.
Ilke merchande man that sendis gud to Bruges sal gif … iiij gret of ilke sek of woll, and iiij gret of the clath of skynnis, and j gret of ilke barrell, and a gret of ilke dacre of hidis 1512 Treas. Acc. IV. 302.
To the pinouris for schippeing … and for the schippir, xxij gret; item, for the custum … , tua s. vj gret; item, for sellar maill … xij gret
4. adv. In great measure, greatly, much, very. Also comb. with menyd (lamented).a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 145.
He.squelyt gret & rarytt ȝarne c1420 Wynt. viii. 6031.
He wes the grettast menyd man That ony couth have thowcht off than a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 815.
It sall right gret avale a1500 Bk. Chess 1597.
Scho cryit so gret that sorow was to heire c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 167.
I sall … me assuage of the swalme, that suellit wes gret Ib. 345.
My breist that was gret beild c1590 Fowler II. 104/18.
The gret different reputatioun he obtened at that tyme
