Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

Greting, Greit(t)ing, vbl. n.¹ Also: gretyng, -ine, gretting, griting. [Northern ME. greting (a 1300), f. Grete v.¹] Weeping, crying, lamentation.(a) 1375 Barb. iii. 515.
For I trow traistly, that gretyng Cummys to men for mysliking c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1524.
In teres and gretyng c1420 Wynt. vi. 2458.
Thare mellody all chawngyd wes In gretyng and in hevynes 1456 Hay I. 58/34.
Sa grete noysis and dolouris … like a greting c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 51/13.
Quhar thair salbe greting, sorow & hevy murnyng 1533 Boece xvi. iii. 611 b.
Slauchter of commonis … , ȝouling and gretting of wemen and childer 1562-3 Winȝet I. 105/18.
Turn to me in all ȝour hert in fasting, sobing and greting 1567 G. Ball. 119.
The greting of thy pure … , Heir now, gude Lord(b) 1535 Stewart 2493.
The greitting, gowling and the greit distres 1558-66 Knox II. 409.
Ye set not by my greitting 1576 Digest Justiciary Proc. I. 22.
Quhy mak ȝe sa greit dule and sair greiting for ony wardlie thing 1588 King Cat. 210.
Griting and gnashing of teeth