Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GREESHOCH, n. Also gries(c)h-, greish-, greash-, gru(i)sh-, grees-, gries-, greas-, with variant terminations -ach, -ock, -(a)ugh, -o(u)gh, -ig(h), -agh, -ick, -ack, -a(w); †gra(i)shie (Fif. c.1789 Scotsman (9 Jan. 1912)). Also dim. forms greeshuckle (Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 250), grieshuckle (Sc.(E) 1926 H. M'Diarmid Drunk Man 44). [′griʃəx, -ək]

1. A glowing fire of red-hot embers without flame; the embers themselves, esp. those of a peat fire (Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 692, greeshough; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 241; Dmf. 1825 Jam., gruishack; Uls. 1880 Patterson Gl., greeshaw, gru-; ne.Sc., Per., Fif., Arg., Ayr., Gall., Uls. 1955).Sc. 1802 Scott Minstrelsy I. 83:
Gang a' to your beds, Sirs, and dinna put out the wee “grieshoch”.Sc. 1820 Blackwood's Mag. (Nov.) 203:
Jeanie . . . in the caul yerd, an' me sitting by a bien pantry, and a warm Greishoch.Fif. 1838 A. Bethune Sc. Peasantry 120:
I'll torment ye as lang as ye live, and gie ye to the devil for a greeshoch when ye dee.Dmf. 1870 R. Chambers Pop. Rhymes 86:
So she rase and bakit a bannock, and set it afore the greeshoch to harden.Arg. 1882 Arg. Herald (3 June):
Come awa ben, woman, an tak a bit scowther o' the grieshach.Kcb. 1901 Crockett Cinderella ix.:
The clear fire, a fire gentle, mild, and insinuating, no roisterous flame, but a “griesoch” rather, mellow and mellowing all about it.Abd. 1929 J. Alexander Mains and Hilly 145:
Aw wis sittin' ma leen at the greeshach o' fire 'at the wife left fin she gid awa' tull 'er bed.Arg. 1998 Angus Martin The Song of the Quern 51:
He's streetched afore a greeshach
wi the pipe sleck in his mooth,
doverin in contentment
as the gale draws tae the sooth,

2. A tradesman's term for a brazier (Arg.¹ 1929, greesach).

¶3. Fig. A fervent enthusiasm, ardent affection.Ayr. 1821 Scots Mag. (April) 351:
The swaping o' the court, an' the peetiefu' gait whilk the fowk spak thereawa, soon gart our knabrie tyne a' that auncient greeshoch whilk they had for their forebears.