Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
GREE, v.1 Also grei, †grie. [Sc. gri:, s.Sc. grəi]
1. tr. To reconcile (persons) (Ags. 1955); to settle, agree upon (Ork., Abd., Ags., Rxb. 1955).Sc. 1711 Analecta Scot. (Maidment 1834) I. 295:
Noe sending home partys [to a dispute] to take a pint, an 'gree the matter.Sc. c.1750 Hogg Jacobite Relics (1819) I. 146:
They've fallen out among themselves Shame fa' the first that grees them!Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 85:
Kenning that ye're nae strange to what has been Your dather an' my ladie lang between, An' even we had greed it 'tweesh oursells.Lnk. c.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 9:
Ach man! I wad a tane thee or ony body to have them greed again.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 116:
Drink grees us wi' our callin', . . . An' sets the heart a swallin' Like barm amang the beer.wm.Sc. 1835 Laird of Logan 162:
That morning that I gaed to gree matters wi' Lizzie.Ags. 1872 J. Kennedy Jock Craufurt 24:
An aye when 'twas her Sabbath oot, (For Jess was 'greed for week aboot), She never baide at hame frae kirk.Ags. 1901 W. S. Milne Reminisc. 291:
[It] micht hae sattled the hash 'mang the ministers noo, An' 'greed the savants 'boot the auld cuddie's moo.
2. intr. To come to terms, to make an agreement; to become reconciled with (a person). Gen.Sc., exc. Sh. Also in Eng. dial.Sc. 1737 Ramsay Proverbs (1776) 64:
Take a pint and 'gree, the law's costly.Ayr. 1785 Burns Death & Dr Hornbook xi.:
“Weel, weel!” says I, “a bargain be't; Come, gie's your hand, an' say we're gree't.”Sc. 1816 Scott B. Dwarf i.:
I am for down to Christie Wilson's, to see if him and me can gree about the luckpenny I am to gie him for his year-aulds.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb viii.:
Aw wadna care a great heap; gin we can 'gree aboot the waages.Per. 1895 R. Ford Tayside Songs 176:
An' aye we focht an' gree'd again, When we were at the schule.Ork. 1907 Old-Lore Misc. I. ii. 62:
Dere's a new la oot 'at deres no tae be ony mair pressan, gin every perish'll 'gree amang dersels tae gae twa men.Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables 23:
A Cuddy stown by two bauld thieves ae day, They cudna gree hoo to dispose their prey.
3. To be or to live in harmony, to be friends; to be of the same mind (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., gree, grei). Gen.Sc. Also in Eng. dial.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 118:
'Gree like Dogs. Ironically forbiding Children to fall out about their Meat.Abd. 1759 F. Douglas Rural Love 20:
Nor wad I hae their age unev'n, Can twenty ‘gree with fifty seven?Edb. 1772 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 10:
As lang's there's pith into the barrel We'll drink and 'gree.Sc. 1819 Scott Bride of Lamm. xiii.:
I tell ye they are man and wife, and gree better than some others.Ayr. 1822 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 200:
Tibby . . . ye'll maybe min', married a ploughman up in the Colmonel han', an' angert me sae, that I wou'd naither speak wi' the tane, nor gree wi' the tither.Nai. 1828 W. Gordon Poems 228:
Sometimes they greed — sometimes disputed.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 98:
Till drunk he [Adam] tummilt, An', as oor sacred authors gree, Life's garden bummilt.Lnk. 1853 W. Watson Poems 63:
Then “here's a guid game an' guid greein', Fairplay, an' nae wee puny pranks.”Ags. 1893 Brechin Advertiser (12 Sept.) 3:
Be that as it likes, they're an ill greein pack.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Stickit Minister 301:
Me an the minister 'grees fine.Abd. 1900 C. Murray Hamewith 9:
His cleadin' fashioned wi' his tastes to 'gree, Fae hose an' cuitikins to plaid an' hat.Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables 27:
An' while they focht, he bore the prey awa' Baith Tods, forfouchen, gree'd to tak a share.Sh. 1916 J. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr Aagust 15:
Lambs döesna aft gree, whin dey'r first kringed tagedder.Per. 1954:
When heating nuts at Halloween one would say, “Are they gaun tae gree?” or “They winna gree,” i.e. jump together or apart.
