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Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

ALICREESH, ALLACREESH, n. Liquorice (the medicine or the sweetmeat). (Also: alicrees(e), alicris, alleycriesh, allycreesh, alicreish, etc.) [′ɑlɪ′kriʃ, -′kris]Sc. 1983 John McDonald in Joy Hendry Chapman 37 45:
oot frae a hole in the waa
bleck as alicreish.Edb. 2003:
Ah still like alicreesh.Cld., s.Sc. 1887 Jam.⁶:
Alicreesh, alicrees, alicris. Licorice, Spanish licorice. This was the common name for it as late as the beginning of this century. It is now called black-sugar, sugar-ali, and sometimes licry.Dmb. c.1900 per Lnk.³:
Alicreese.Ayr., Edb. 1905 D. M. R. in E.D.D. Suppl.:
[Alleycriesh.] Also known as Sugar-alley. We used to shake it in a bottle of water to make a beverage known as alleycriesh-water.sm.Sc. 1988 W. A. D. and D. Riach A Galloway Glossary :
allycreesh liquorice.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 11:
Alicreesh — Spanish licorice . . . This singular term I have given for it . . . used by the greater part of the natives of Scotland.Gall.(D) 1901 Trotter Gall. Gossip 144:
His excellent medicines . . . Joost a wheen saip-sapples an alicreesh water, wudna cure the kitlin!central Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B. 41:
Allacreesh. Liquorice.