Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1789-1790
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HOKY-GREN, n.comb. ? The text in the following quot. is corrupt. Scott Minstrelsy emended it to "hollins green." "Holly grain" (see Grain, n.2, 1.) might also be conjectured.Sc. a.1790 Young Hunting in Child Ballads No. 68 A. xxvii.:
An it took on her fair body, She burnt like hoky-gren.