Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
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.
Quotation dates: 1791, 1871, 1997
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1]
GRUMMLE, v., n. Also grummel(l), grum'le, grummil(l). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. grumble. Hence grum(m)ler, a grumbler; grumblesome, peevish, cantankerous, discontented (Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin 28). See P.L.D. §62.
I. v., tr. To grumble at, to grudge.Edb. 1791 J. Learmont Poems 181:
Yet still ye grumble ilka merk Gi'en for real use.Ayr. 1997:
A'm aye grummelt at when A come in (My wife gets on to me, when I get home).
II. n. A cause of dissatisfaction, a grudge, grievance or quarrel (Abd., Ags., m.Lth., Bwk., Ayr., sm. and s.Sc. 1955).Ayr. 1871 J. K. Hunter Life Studies 235:
He refused me church privileges for some grumble that was atween us.
You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Grummle v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/grummle>
