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.
Quotation dates: 1745, 1817-1929
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GRUNCH, v.1, n. Also gr(o)unge, groonge, gr(o)unche, grunsh, gruntch. [Rxb. gru:nʒ, Ork. grʌnʃ]
I. v., intr. 1. To grumble, complain, grouse, murmur (against) (Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I., Gl., grounche; Cld. 1880 Jam., grunsh, grunch; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., grounge, groonge; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1955). Also in n.Eng. dial.Rxb. 1825 Jam.:
He's ay groungin' about something.s.Sc. 1856 H. S. Riddell St Matthew xx. 11:
An' whan they had receivet it, they grounget agayne the guidman o' the hous.s.Sc. 1897 E. Hamilton Outlaws ii.:
It isna my weird I'm groungeing at ava, but the black injustice o' things.
2. To look sullen or sulky (Rxb. 1825 Jam., gr(o)unge, 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1955).
3. Of a dog: to growl (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1955); of a pig: to grunt (Ib., grunch; Ork. 1929 Marw., Ork. 1955). Also fig. and rarely tr.Sc. c.1745 Jacobite Minstr. (1829) 314:
He may grunch in his swine-trough up to the laggies.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 55:
His pipes wi' sic a squeal did squeak, . . . His drone did gruntch sae dour a sound.s.Sc. 1871 H. S. Riddell Poet. Wks. II. 202:
Sae Johnie [Jack Frost], sair wearied, sae lang out to lounge, Began in impatience to growl and to grounge.Ork. 1929 Marw., Ork. 1955:
Chiefly in Orkney of the little grunting sounds made by a baby asleep: “Hid's lyan grunchan i' the cradle”
II. n. A grumble, grunt, growl (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., Rxb. 1955); “the murmur of a sick child” (Kcb.4 1900).Peb. 1817 R. Brown Lintoun Green 167:
Wi' grusome grunche, as ruefu' rat Made tail-less by a snare.Rxb. 1847 J. Halliday Rustic Bard 259:
When gloamin' comes doon wi' its shadows dark, An' Towzie tells tales wi' his grounge an' bark.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 116:
Look vastly wise, An' wi' a philosophic grunch on, Thus moralize.
