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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.

Grit, a., n., and adv. Also: gritt. [Var. of Gret, Grete, and Gryt(e, with unusual change of vowel, occurring also in mod. Eng. dialects. Not found before 1500, but common from c 1535. Cf. also Girt a.]

1. Great in size, amount, degree, importance, etc.a. (1) 1512 Wemyss Chart. 139.
The grit he gait one the est syd the colpottis 1519 Reg. Episc. Aberd. II. 174.
Ane grit pres of aik and fyr. Item ane grit lang kist of aik Ib. 176.
Ane grit towell holit 1535 Stewart 2.10.
With … ene baith grit and reid Ib. 51263.
On swift hors grit and wycht 1549 Compl. 55/26.
The superfice of ane grit roundnes 1563 Reg. Cupar A. II. 280.
Ane grit irn sloit to the abbatis chalmer dwr a1568 Bann. MS. 140 a/28.
Gritt bladis and bittis thow stall full aft (a1570-86 Dunb.) Maitl. F. lviii. 67.
Our all the grit se occeane 1607 Crim. Trials II. 522.
Thre hundreth grit growand allouris 1607 Kinghorn Kirk S. 9.
Bessie Kirkcaldie bad him play on the grit pyp 1615–6 M. Works Acc. XI. 50.
To the quarieris … for ane grit stane for ane grit armes 1649 Wemyss Chart. 233.
My grit brothered bebell(2) 1535 Stewart 27613.
Grit plentie … Of meit and drink 1549 Compl. ii/21.
To gyf hym ane grit some of moneye 1552 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 279.
That the lordis of Bonaccord … hase maid our mony grit, sumpteous, and superfleous banketing a1578 Pitsc. II. 113/11.
With wther grit giftis of gould and silluer 1585 Misc. Spald. C. II. 344.
The said sowme … besyde and attour wther grit sowmeis c1615 Chron. Kings 123.
Returning with ane grit bwitting to Berrik 1609 Crim. Trials III. 47.
He callis ane gritt number of the keiparis of the Castell into his chalmer(3) 1533 Gau 26/27.
Ony oder mortal man quhow grit that ewer rwis thair power 1535 Stewart 14798.
The Britis hartis with grit favour he wan Ib. 40805.
[He is] hie in hevin, with blythnes and grit gloir a1540 Freiris Berw. 126.
Ane Blak Freir he wes of grit renown c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 116.
As Pharao [sufferit] for his grit ydolatrie Ib. 144.
This earlie trubill is thair grit consolatioun 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 85.
The coptane of the castle was nurished in grit esperance or elis vaine boasting a1570-86 Maitl. F. xxxi. 61.
Amang folyis ane grit folye I find 1595 Conv. Burghs I. 462.
For … executing of the said act … to the grit weill of thair estait c1615 Chron. Kings 107.
The Queine tuik gritt paynis to haue Bothuell most braw(4) 1549 Compl. 58/13.
Ther occurris haistyly … sum grit myscheif c1500 Rowll Cursing 142 (B).
With grit din and deray, Compeir sall Sathan 1571 Sat. P. xxv. 59.
[I] nawayis culd devyis To mend this grit mischance 1572 Reg. Privy C. II. 168.
The grit murtheris and … beistlie crewelteis usit 1588 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 121.
To … incure grit expenssis, labour and pley thairthrow 1605 Ib. 233.
The grit trubill and cummir committed be Williame Adame 1623 Conv. Burghs III. 141.
To desyre redres of the gritt hurt sustenit be the lieges(5) 1535 Stewart 30759.
Without lang vysment in so grit ane thing 1557 Prot. Bk. A. Gaw 41.
Sworne the grit aitht a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xiv. 59.
In materis grit and doutsum 1584 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 110.
Wpoun consideration of the bischopis grit adoo 1587-99 Hume 15/118.
That maid thy Prophets mouth reveill Thy mysteries grit to cum(6) 1547 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 248.
Grit admirale of Scotland 1549 Compl. 167/3.
There is nocht mony men, grit nor smal, that [etc.] 1560 Rolland Seven S. 624.
Diuers grit kings and knichtis a1568 Bann. MS. 217 b/43.
Thocht scho be cumd of grit degre, And thow be cumin of sempill kin c1568 Lauder Minor P. i. 637.
Gyf ȝe grit God wald glorefie 15.. Clar. v. 2293.
Of jyant corpis was this grit campioun a1586 Maitland Ho. Seton p. xi.
Men of grit housis a1570-86 Maitl. F. xcv. 61.
Off sum grit men thai haue sic gait 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 322.
It being laid to his chairge that he was a grit … authorisare of the bischopes c1590 Fowler I. 59/50.
A maister gritt in Cupids courtb. compar. 1558-66 Knox II. 40.
That no gritter expeditioun is maid 1574 Reg. Privy C. II. 361.
Takand the grittar bauldnes a 1568 Sat. P. xlviii. 46.
Ȝe find ȝour self the gritter fule 1574 Elgin Rec. I. 216.
Takand the grittar occasioun of his mischevous interprysis 1598 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 228.
That na simpill barbouris suld haif gritter privilege bot onely to coll [etc.] 1602 Reg. Privy C. VI. 377.
In gritter contempt and vilipensioun of his Majestie 1604 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 326.
The gritter haist is requyred heirinc. superl. 1535 Stewart 26316.
Quha fallis heichast gettis the grittest faw a1570-86 Maitl. F. xxx. 74.
Ay grittest coist is apone thingis vane Ib. xcviii. 81.
Ȝe in hand that hes the grittest strenth 1621 Crim. Trials III. 502.
In ane singular combat, quhairvnto … Capitan Harie was … drawin by the grittest respectis of credeit 1626 Conv. Burghs III. 223.
The said fisching is the grittest benefeit this cuntrey does effoord

2. In various special senses. Cf. Grete a. 2.(1) 1535 Stewart 212.
With schoulderis braid and armis grit and squair Ib. 23698.
With speiris lang that war bayth grit and squair 1566 Treas. Acc. MS. 63.
The losing of certane grit tymmer for artailȝerie furth of ane boyart 1599 Misc. Maitl. C. III. 242.
Twentie pair of gritt turrettis of iron to the said doges 1601 Reg. Privy C. VI. 238.
In his hand ane grit aik trie, being the boitstaik of his boit 1631 Peebles B. Rec. 416.
For four faldome gritt towis to kitt them [sc. witches] vp with all(2) 1549 Compl. 60/16.
In Rome there vas ane nobil princesse callit Martia grit vith child(3) 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 237.
vj quartaris of grit carsay(4) 1610 Dunblane Test. III. 115.
Vpone the saidis landis … in bowgang xxxij grit ky(5) 1527 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 119.
Gilbert Menȝeis, provest, tua lib. grit 1527–8 Cart. S. Nich. Aberd. 360.
To deliuer a li. grit of sanct James siluer … to help to by ane tabernakill 1546 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 234.
Ane Flemis ell of welwet, cost xi s. grit 1593 Edinb. Test. XXV. 190.
Thrie pund of flachtit caddes at v s. vj grit

b. Of persons: Intimate, familiar. 16.. Hist. Kennedy 14.
Thay war so far at wareyanse that thay culd never be gritt Ib. 21.
The Laird of Bargany being this way agreitt with my Lord, thay fell werry gritt

c. With grandame, grandfather. a1500 Colk. Sow 628.
I did it leir at ane full auld wyfe, My gritgraundame 1671 Wemyss Corr. 113.
His gritte grandfather and myne war full brethers

3. absol. or as n. a. Great persons. a1568 Scott i. 131.
The grittest ay the grediar, I ges a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xvii. 45.
Do equale ressoun baith to grit and small Ib. xcix. 49.
The grittest ar with monyast invyit

b. In grit, in great, in bulk. 1545 Aberd. B. Rec. (J).
The cawyng of wedderis in grit furth of the schyir 1556 Aberd. B. Rec. I. 300.
Bot to sell the same in grit to fremen and breither of gild 1588 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 126.
Bying of wyld foulis … in grit, … and taping of the samyn ouir again 1592 Acts III. 559/1.
Na vre in grit wes neuer meltit of befoir and fynit

c. Flemish groats. Cf. Grete a. 5 b. 1613 Conv. Burghs II. 430.
The Maister of the Consergerie to … caus ilk ane quha sweires pay to the box thrie gritt als oft as they contravene 1625 Ib. III. 198.
Ane … impost of all guides imported … fra the … Law Cuntreyis, … ane pak towes, thrie grit, … ane poik vnȝeoun seid, thrie gritt

4. adv. Greatly, very. 15.. Clar. i. 1075.
Quhen this thing was to his Hienes kend, Grit glaid he was Ib. v. 1257.
We ar not grit amervellit of this deid