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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.

‡GROOL, n.¹, v.¹ Also grule, gruil, grull, groll. [grul]

I. n. Anything ground into small particles:

1. “Small grumous stuff from some friable substance broken down” (Dmf. 1825 Jam.); crushed stones, gravel (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 243, grull, 1887 Sc. N. & Q. I. 92, grool, grull, groll); dusty refuse, such as coal-dust (Dmf. 1894 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. 149). Also derivs. grooloch, id. (Kcb.⁴ 1900), grullion, a hotch-potch, “a mixture of various food” (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 243).

2. Friable moss made into peats, see 1837 quot. (Rnf. 1825 Jam., 1887 Sc. N. & Q. I. 92; Kcb.³ 1929, grule, gruil).wm.Sc. 1837 Laird of Logan 309:
Peat is prepared in the grule fashion thus: — the moss from which it is made wants consistency if dug in the usual way; a quantity is puddled in water till it assume a sufficient consistence, when it is formed into convenient pieces and spread abroad to dry.Rnf. 1847 Sc. Journal I. 264:
For thay kyth't as gin thay had bein grule, Or peits set up to dry.

3. “A mixture of fluid and solid parts, applied to an effusion of blood, etc. from an old wound” (Gall. 1905 E.D.D. Suppl., grule).

¶II. v. To bruise to dust, to crush. Used fig. in quot.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 247:
E'en on the sea as at the Nile, Whan Nelson grool'd the French in stile, Gunpowther shaw'd its might.