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: 1456-1499, 1551-1689
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Growth(t, Grouth(t, n. Also: growthe, grouthe. [e.m.E. growth, grouth, grothe (1557).] Growth.
1. The action or process of growing; in material and non-material senses.(1) 1456 Hay I. 9/14.
Rycht as the treis has lyf and grouth of the erde 1456 Ib. II. 127/16.
A froith of fantasy quhilk hinderis syne the appetite … and hynderis the grouth a1499 Contemplacioun of Synnaris 864.
Ffra thin sall ces grouth and corrupcoun c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 41/3.
Ȝong personis of grouth quhill thai cum to xxfig. 1613 Highland P. III. 127.
Of new strenthened withe a fresche grouth of this wnhappie weid [sc. the Macgregors](2) 1606 Bk. Univ. Kirk III. 1039.
For … staying the grouth and number of Papists in this our Kingdome 1669 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 252.
Taking to consideratione the great increase and grouth of poperie within this burghe
2. concr. That which grows or has grown; growing plants, vegetation; yield, crop.(1) c1460 Wisdom of Solomon 356.
Fresch wattir, that … ourstrenklys the erde and causis grouthe to be in erde c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 56.
In sommer quhen the sone is at the hicht And of all grouthe hes vertew and micht 1555 Acts II. 497/1.
Gif the wod of Falkland was auld failȝeit and decayit in the grouth thairof 1586 Inverness B. Rec. I. 307.
Tuaye horse laidis of the greyne young saplyne, saucht, birk and of the vther young growtht 1605 Elphinstone Chart. 147.
Thair hes bein na haineing or saiveing for the young grouthe 1689 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 311.
The corns and other grouth upon the roods and lands of the friedome eaten and destroyed by … Major Mackay his forces(2) 1551 Protocol Book of R. Lumsdane 17.
The cornis, growtht, wpcast, and excrascens off the samin [land] to pertene to the said Thomas 1562 Will A. Betoun 223.
Item, sawyn in Ballmaddy xix bolls beir, estimet at xl bolls groutht 1582 Edinburgh Testaments X. 328.
The haill grouth & crope of the saidis fvve akeris of arabill land 1583 Brechin Testaments I. 93 b.
In the barne … and heruist feildis the groutht of sewin bollis aittis 1627 Dumfries Test. I. 141.
The sawing of four bollis corne great and small, the growthe quhairof estimat to ten bollis corne meassour 1681 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 298.
For French wyne … of the grouth 1680
3. Size, corpulence. 1596 Dalr. I. 160/23.
Corbred … quha fra the gretnes of his grouth was called Grossie
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"Growth n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/growtht>
