Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1886-1929, 1982-1991
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GRESS, n., v. A Sc. form of Eng. grass (Sc. 1818 Sawers; I., nn., mn.(b), em.Sc., Wgt., s.Sc. 1955). See P.L.D. §48.1. (1). Also grais (ne.Sc. 1881 Gregor Folk-Lore, Gl.), graiss, †grase. For other forms, see Garse, n., v.2, and Girse. [grɛs]
I. n.
1. As in Eng.Lnk. 1982 Duncan Glen in Hamish Brown Poems of the Scottish Hills 56:
I'll ne'er forget
the lawn-like gress
in a giant's airmchair o rock by the langest linn.m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 46:
The gress growes still sae caller green
ablo the bourtree's bloom,Dundee 1991 Ellie McDonald The Gangan Fuit 10:
Luv - I ken ye bi yer sang
an saikless as a bairn
I walk the caller gress. Hence (1) dim. gressag, a blade of grass (Cai.); (2) gressie, adj. grassy.(1) Cai. 1929 John o' Groat Jnl. (1 March):
Angie's neeps wis scientific aneuch, for ye widna see a soorag or even a gressag 'mang them.(2) Knr. 1886 “H. Haliburton” Horace 88:
O then what muntin' an' what ridin' The gressy wildernesses wide in, To herd the flocks that winna bide in.Dmf. 1915 D. J. Beattie Oor Gate-en' 9:
Swat doon on the gressy knowe.
2. In combs.: (1) gress-corn, corn grown in a field after a root crop (Sh. 1964). Cf. Clean; (2) gressie-spink, the sea-pink (Fif. 1957).
II. v. To feed on grass, to pasture. Gen. in vbl.n. gressin, grazing, pasturage (Cai. 1955). Phr. no worth a cock's gressin, of little value, worthless (Ork.5 1955).Cai. 1900 E.D.D.:
He has gressin for ten kye.
