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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Gravel(l, n. Also: gravaile, -aill, -ale, -all, -ill; grawal, -ell. [ME. grauayle (Chaucer), gravel (a 1300), OF. gravele, gravelle sand, gravel (mod. F. gravelle the disease ‘gravel’).]

1. Sand, gravel; pl. pebbles or small stones. c1400 Troy-bk. i. 263.
The stryndes … Rynnand throw gravaile quhyt & clene c1420 Wynt. v. 2906 (C).
On his schulderis … The grawal and stanys he bure out 1456 Hay II. 138/24.
Within craggis and caves in the erde amang stanis and gravellis c1515 Asl. MS. I. 159/4.
A gravel see that ebbis and flowis without watter Ib.
Thar cummis fra Paradys grauell of gold c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matt. vii. 26.
A fule that has biggit his hous in grauale Id. Hebr. xi. 6.
Grauale that is at the see side out of novmer

2. The disease so named. c1500 Rowll Cursing 277.
The panefull gravell and the gutt c1500 Crying of Play 62.
Scho tuke the grawell [B. gravall] and stalit Cragorth a1540 Freiris Berw. 40.
He had ane littill spyce of gravell 1531 Bell. Boece I. 51.
Gravellis, caterris, and siclike maladyis 1548 Corr. M. Lorraine 242.
I am subject to sum infermyte of gravaill, and dolour of stayn 1565 Prot. Bk. W. Cumming 33 b.
He being vexit with the grawell 1697 Cromarty Corr. I. 127.
My son continows ill of his grauill

b. Gravell seed, the seed of the herb gromwell used as a remedy for the stone.In English use gromwell seed (c 1400–1694). 1646 Edinb. Test. LXII. 15 b.
xi pund wecht of gravell seid