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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.

Graith, v. Also: graithe, graitht; grayth(e, graytht; grath(e; greth, greath. P.p. graithit, etc., graid. [Northern ME. graith, grayth (a 1300), p.t. and p.p. graid (a 1300), ME. greiðen (13th c.), greȝȝþen ((Orm), ON. greiða, p.p. greidd-r.In early poetry, the rhyme sometimes indicates the pronunciation graid, where other spellings of the past participle are used.]

1. tr. To make ready, prepare, put in order, make fit for use. Also with up.(a) a1400 Leg. S. ii. 1155.
For thi the man was graithand ay the girne c1460 Wisd. Sol. 425.
My gudis that I had graithyt in this erde c1475 Wall. ii. 280.
Scho gert graith wp a burd be the hous side, Wyth carpettis cled a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 547.
He gudly furth gais and graithit his geir 1490 Irland Mir. 46/3.
Ihesus has graithit ws a schip to pas throw the peralus seye of this waurld 1494 Treas. Acc. I. 240.
Gevin to James Dog … to graith the Kingis chalmer agane the Chancelar of Denmarkis cuming 1513 Doug. ii. iii. 69.
This is thar thocht, To graith thar armour and wapynuys by and by 1521 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 98.
Ane Flemyng … till clenge, graitht, and decht thair artailȝery 1542 Reg. Cupar A. II. 210.
The said Georde sall laubour and graith in all sortis our garding 15.. Clar. i. 425.
Thai … hes gart graith thair harnes at all poynt 1567 G. Ball. 79.
Christ passit to the heuinnis hie, To graith ane place for vs in gloir(b) a1400 Leg. S. xxvii. 1208.
Thai grathit for it a sepulture c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 439.
When the inward bowelles were … Grathed & leyd on the altere To sacrifice 1456 Hay I. 239/23.
Thair office … grathis mete and clathe till all the warld a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 706.
Fast flokkis his forreouris grathand his luging Ib. 1163.
As gracious god … Has grathit the hevin but distance till endure a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 275.
Peter and Johnne he send … A place to grath, quhair he suld eit the lambe 1513 Doug. i. vii. 15.
Sum grathis fast the thak and rufe of tre Ib. vi. vi. 58.
He strekyt sone hys ayris, and grathis his saill 1533 Boece xv. iii. 579.
The Erle of Marche … with his hoist … filling the fowssyis, and grathing passage oure the stankis 1549 Compl. 40/3.
I beheld ane galiasse gayly grathit for the veyr 1591 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. MS. 427.
Grathing & hynging the skellet bell quhen the curfor bell was brokin(c) a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxx. 35.
As the mas … of muddie molde … grethid in gleid groves glorious … gold 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3681.
Than pas thy way & greath [B. graith] the gallous

b. To prepare (food) for eating; to make (a meal) ready. 1375 Barb. v. 387.
Douglas … fand the met all reddy grathit, Vith burdis set and clathis laid a1400 Leg. S. v. 82.
Gange hame sone & grath to me the fud 14.. Acts I. 33/2.
Fleschewaris … sal serve the burges … of the flesche in thar lardyner to be graythit and dycht 1456 Hay II. 163/25.
Grete plentee of fruytis for mannis sustenaunce, quhen thai are wele grathit c1475 Wall. iv. 285.
A gret hart has he slayne; Slew fyr on flynt, and graithit thaim at rycht a1500 Rauf C. 140.
Of sic taillis thay began, Quhill the supper was graid [: iaid] a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1596.
He askit thame, gif ony fische thai had Raddy graithit refectioun forto be 1513 Doug. i. iv. 89.
Hys feris has this praye ressauyt raith, And to thar met addressis, it to graith 1548 Treas. Acc. IX. 250.
To the cuke … quha … graithit thair meit 1567 G. Ball. 18.
My supper is not graithit for thé 1609 Skene Reg. Maj. i. 156.
Of coukes graithand or makand reddie flesh or fishe

c. With non-material objects. a1400 Leg. S. ii. 860.
Blis That he has grathit for al his Ib. v. 259.
Paynis … That grathit ar in hell fore men Ib. xxx. 746.
He thocht in hewine he suld se a grete brydale grathit be 1456 Hay II. 42/3.
Quhen he is arrayed in habyte of knychtis wede than mon be grathit a solempne messe a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 572.
Of thi nychtbouris the festis funerall Prent in thi hert, & graith thi purvians a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 1660.
His discipillis baid … Graithand thair mynd … Of the gude Spreit to tak remissioun c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxvi. 10.
He bad gallandis ga graith a gyis 1513 Doug. iv. v. 92.
Pas, son, in haist, graith the wyndis in effek Ib. ix. 58.
Thocht Annes wenyt not hir systir wald Graith sacryfice for hir ded body cald 1533 Boece ii. xi. 78 b.
To thir confederatis (grathing thare power) the nychtbouris fra all partis fortifyit a1568 Bann. MS. 132 a/11.
God will graith his purveance

d. To graith (one's) gate, to make a way for oneself. c 1445 Liber Plusc. 386.
That thai ma nocht heire purvay To graith thaire gait on to thaire langest hame a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 852.
Eftir ȝour ordour, gre and condicoun, Ȝe graith ȝour gatis for jugement generale a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 124.
Schir Gawyne, graith ye that gait, for the gude rude!

2. a. To deal with, treat, handle (a person). Also with adj. complement. a1400 Leg. S. xxxi. 374.
Behald & se Hou gate ȝone monk has grathit me 1375 Barb. xiii. 127 (E).
Thai thair fayis has grathyt [C. cumrait] sua … That thai discumfyt sone sall be a1500 Doug. K. Hart 48.
No greif nor grame suid grayth thame so agast 1569 Love-Lett. Mary 207.
He shouid graith me in such a sort as I never was in in my life

b. To prepare (a person) for burial; to place in the grave. 1535 Stewart 28968.
Throw sair seiknes … He tuke his leif … , In Iona yle syne graithit wes in his graue 1761 Battle of Harlaw in 1761 Evergreen (1761), I. 80.
He vowed … All the hale lands of Ross to haif, Or ells be graithed in his graif

c. refl. To prepare (oneself), make (oneself) ready for, or to do, something. c1450-2 Howlat 149.
Thai … Grathis thaim but grutching that gait for to gane c1475 Wall. ix. 1218.
Thai graithit thaim rycht ayrly on the morow; And thidder past, off Wallace will to wytt a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 752.
Ces fra syn and grath ȝow to his grace 1513 Doug. viii. vii. 69.
Gif thou thé grathis for to fecht Ib. x. v. 108.
Eneas gan hys ferys command … to … graith thame for the batail 1535 Stewart 19831.
Proclamit wes that euerilk Scot … Within ane da sould graith thame for to gone … all out of Albione 15.. Clar. iv. 2534.
Of Durhame hes thair leavis taine anone, With the ambassate grathing them to gone Brus ix. 171 (H).
Thai … graithed them vpon [ms. redyit thame and held] thair way

d. intr. To make ready, to prepare to (do something or go somewhere). c1475 Wall. iv. 349.
Sewyn of yow feris graith sone, and ga with me a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 170.
Schir Gavyne gettis his leif, and grathis to his steid a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. lxvii. 4.
Sen thow mon go, be grathing to thy gait 1513 Doug. i. x. 39.
The rial child Ascaneus … grathis to pas At command of his fader Ib. iv. iii. 53.
Eneas and … Dido … To forest grathis in huntyng furth to wend

3. To furnish or provide with some addition, esp. by way of ornament.(1) 1456 Hay II. 128/28.
Faire clething … , our all grathit with precious jowalis, uchis, and besantis and stately array c1450-2 Howlat 399.
The said persevantis gyde was grathit, I ges, Brusit with ane grene tre 1513 Doug. viii. x. 69.
The lyght legharnes … , Grathit aud polyst weill 1565 Prot. Bk. G. Grote 69.
Paris black to graytht hir goun 1601 Treas. Acc. MS. 79 b.
Thrie mertrick skines to graith his hienes gowne(2) 1501 Treas. Acc. II. 51.
Ane sadil graithit with ledderis, sterap irnis [etc.] 1506 Glasgow Dioc. Reg. II. 152.
The gest at the siloure standis in to be hewin and graithit be him with tua frontellis 1511 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 70.
That all personis … furnys and graitht the stairis of the forgait with arres werk 1522–3 Edinb. B. Rec. I. 109.
That the saidis fermoraris caus mak and graith the said mylne sufficientlie at all pointis 1617 Montgomery Mem. 276.
For grathing ane hagbut of my Lordis 1618 Ib. 279.
To the knokmaker … for graithing my Lordis knok 1689 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII. 530.
Two suficient baggadg horsses … sufficiently furnished and graithed with sodds, ane sack, ane pair of backetts or creills

4. To dress or array, to equip or accoutre (a person). Freq. in p.p. graithit (in something). a1500 Henr. Fab. 1352.
Thus was he gudlie graithit in his geir c1475 Wall. i. 216.
Quha dewill thé grathis in so gay a gyde? a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 131.
Schir Gawyne gais furth the gait, that graithit wes gay Ib. 903; etc.
Be that schir Gawyne the gay wes graithit in his gere c1500-c1512 Dunb. Tua Mar. W. 365.
He grathit me in a gay silk and gudly arrayis Id. xliii. 28.
Ȝour ladeis grathit vp gay 1513 Doug. viii. Prol. 121.
Quhat bern be thou in bed … Grathit lyke sum gnappar 1535 Stewart 7211.
The Romanis war sa weill graithit into geir 1552 Reg. Privy C. I. 134.
Habill and sufficient horsemen, weill furnist and grathit 1584 Sat. P. xlv. 683.
Ane serving gentleman … That stude ane lang hour at his yeatt, … While he was grathed into his geir 1591-2 Rob Stene 14.
Behald and see how he is hudit, And graith [sic] up in the grewhouudis skinrefl. c1475 Wall. i. 277.
His modyr graithit hir in pilgrame weid Ib. viii. 1150.
Scho graithit hir apon a gudlye wis, With gold, and ger, and folk at hir dewis a1500 Peblis to Play 8.
Thay graythit thame full gay, … For it wes thair feist day, Thay said

b. To saddle and bridle (a horse). 15.. Clar. iv. 2571.
Thair horse thay gart be grathed suddenly c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus ii. 1035.
Thair proud palphrais was grathit incontinent, … At ilk bridill ane proper alakay