Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Grouf, Growf, Grufe, n. Also: groufe, -ff(e, growf(f)e, gruife, gruiff, gruff, groif. [ME. o grufe (15th c.), one growffe, one the groffe (a 1400), ON. á grúfu, dat. of *grúfa wk. fem. Cf. Agroufe adv. Both in Eng. and Sc. only forms in f or ff appear in place of the normal v.] On grouf, face downwards, flat on the ground.(a) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 786.
He ley before the gret altere One gruff [L. pronus] 15.. Dunb. P. xi. 13.
Ly all on grufe, befoir that hich grand Roy 1535 Stewart 9257.
The ymage … Fell doun on groif vpoun the flure him by 1581 Bann. Memor. 331.
The erle of Mortoun lay on gruife [Calderwood growffe] vpoun his face befoir the place of executioune 1600-1610 Melvill 24.
The Lord … maid me … to fall on gruiff to the ground(b) a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 362.
He hes merwell sa lang on grouf ȝe ly c1475 Wall. 574.
His bow and suerd he lenyt till a tre, In angwys greiff, on grouff so turned he 1513 Doug. xiii. v. 22.
Dawnus … apon Turnus corps hym strekis doun Enbrasyng it ongrouf all in a swoun 15.. Clar. i. 911.
Scho fell on groufe upon hir bed adoun Ib. iii. 2024.
This wofull man on grouffe lying(c) a1508 Kennedy Pass. Christ 249.
Quhen thai herd the woce cry fra the hicht, Thai fell on growfe c1500-c1512 Dunb. xxxii. 12.
He … lowrit on growfe and askit grace Ib. 58.
This wylie tod plat doun on growf 1513 Doug. xi. iv. 24.
Evander … fell on growf abuf ded Pallas beir 15.. Clar. iii. 619.
Then fell scho on growfe … asking ay mercie Fuli rewthfullie