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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.

Greif, Gref(e, n. Also: greiff(e, greife, greyff; greef, greaf(f, grief. [e.m.E. grief, greefe, grefe, etc. (northern greiff), ME. greef, grefe (a 1300), gref (a 1225), OF. gref, grief. Cf. Greve n.²]

1. Hardship, suffering; esp. mental suffering, distress; grief or sorrow. ?1438 Alex. i. 1554.
Na mischeif, Na pane, trauell, perell nor greif, Micht stoneis thair hartis, na affray c1475 Wall. xi. 574.
In angwys greiff, on grouff so turned he a1500 Rauf C. 381.
That I haue hecht I sal hald, … Quhidder sa it gang to greif or to gawin 1490 Irland Mir. I. 80/30.
Than was the gret greif of Adam and syn displesand to his hie deite c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 234.
Loun lyk Mahoun, be boun me till obey, Theif, or in greif mischeif sall thé betyd 1528 Lynd. Dreme 880.
I fynd thame rute and grund of all our greif 1558-66 Knox II. 126.
Her persone was absent, … to no small greaff of our hartis a1586 Chron. Setoun 32/47.
They brunt his hous … Quhilk put his hart wnto sic greif and pane That he for sorow halfling deit 1662 Nicoll Diary 363.
He departed this lyff, to the great greaff of many 1667 Highland P. II. 15.
She dissembled her greife and made mirriepl. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3912.
And, for agmentyng of his grefis Thay hangit hym betuix two thefis

b. Physical pain. 1596 Dalr. I. 184/10.
The king … eftir the battel departes this lyfe, mair throuch … dolour of mynd, than throuch greife of his woundes

2. An injury or wrong done to someone; molestation.(a) 1409 Red Bk. Menteith II. 278.
Gif onye of the forsaide lordis wittis or persavis ony maner of grefe, skath or perele apperand til othir 1456 Hay I. 61/13.
Pompee … the quhilk … had done grete gref to that contree Ib. 106/9.
That … thai do na gref na injuris to the cristyn folk(b) c 1390 Reg. Morton I. p. xl.
Thou come … and … tuk away twenty-one beistis … doand to the fornemnit … il molest, wrang and greif 14.. Acts I. 30/2.
Na greyff nor na dystroblans sal be done til hym mar than he has, for sorow and hevines has he ineuch foroutyn mar 1513 Doug. xiii. i. 25.
And to implor forgifnes of all greiff, Quyet, and end of harmys and myscheif 1590 Reg. Privy C. IV. 479.
To do molestatioun, harme, greiff or injurie to the saidis counsallouris 1622-6 Bisset I. 15/10.
To lament … of thair greit greiffis, opprest witht crueltie

b. An injury or grievance which is the subject of a formal complaint; a document stating a grievance. Generally pl.pl. 1582 Reg. Privy C. III. 515.
The saidis greiffis and groundes quhairupon this diversitie and tumult hes procedit 1584 Acts III. 361/2.
The saidis pairteis clames and greiffis gevin in 1597 Crim. Trials II. 9.
That the articles of thair greiffis sould be presentit to his Maiestie c 1600 Moysie 18.
[The King] ordeanit thame to meit at Sterling … to treat vpone all actionis and greiffes fallin out amangis the nobiletie 1604 Aberd. B. Rec. II. 262.
The greiffis gevin in to the prouest … complaining on … [the] maister of the grammer schoollsing. 1558-66 Knox II. 295.
Boyth the partyes began to oppin thair greaf. The lordis complayned [etc.] 1611 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 75 b.
Anent the greiff gewin in be the elderis, … it was then answered be the bischop and Mr. Archibald 1624 Melrose P. 644*.
The said Johnne sould haif gone to his pastour and oppynit vp his grief vnto him

3. A feeling of injury; displeasure, resentment; anger, annoyance. c1420 Wynt. vii. 3230.
Swylk ordynans That wes gret grefe and displesans Till off Scotland the three statis c1475 Wall. xi. 175.
He agayn in greiff him grippyt sayr 1513 Doug. i. i. 18.
Is thare sik greif in hevynly myndis on hie? Ib. xiii. i. 63.
Lern … to fulfyll glaidly the goddis command; And for thar greif weill aucht we to be war 1540 Lynd. Sat. 71.
Tak na man greif in speciall, For we sall speik in generall 1562-3 Winȝet I. 12/3.
Mony … in thare greif, hes destroyit mony thingis nawayis ydolatricall 1570 Sat. P. xxi. 6.
The mark that God gaif in his grief To Cains cursit kin 1596 Dalr. II. 62/16.
Quhen the Gouernour this harde, greiuet him sair, and the gretter was his greiffe that na way that iniure he culd recompence 1641 Spalding II. 91.
Father Phillip, the Quein's chief confessour, wes … wardit, to hir gryt greif