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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GRUGOUS, adj.  Also grugeous. Grim, ugly, surly.Abd. 1777 R. Forbes in Sc. Poems 21:
For Paris an' the grugous carls That sta' the wife cam in.
Ags. 1815 G. Beattie John o' Arnha' (1852) 15:
Which added horror to his mein — A grugous wight he was I ween.
Sc. 1819 Scots Mag. (June) 527:
In place o' the teind to the grougous fiend, Gude grant him ane o' three.
Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 56, 108:
Here's twa lads comes stalkin' in the gate, Wha's grugeous looks wad mak' a body sweat. . . . O! Death, thou girning grugeous carl.
Sc.(E) 1926 H. M'Diarmid Drunk Man 43:
The waefu' clay was fire aince mair, As Earth had been resumed Into God's mind, frae which sae lang To grugous state 'twas doomed.

[? Gael. grùgach, surly, sulky, scowling, with altered suff. Cf. Alagrugous.]

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