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.
Gretnes, n. [e.m.E. gretnes, ME. grette-, gret-, grettnes (a 1320), f. Gret(t a. Cf. Gretenes.] Greatness (lit. or fig.).(1) 1490 Irland Mir. I. 62/22.
The … gretnes of meryt cummys nocht of oure infirmite … bot of the gretnes of the werk in the self 1596 Dalr. I. 223/21.
For the gretnes of that glore, he imbracet thame al alyk with alyk fauour(2) 1513 Doug. i. vii. 5.
Eneas wondrit the gretnes of Cartage, Quhilk lait tofor had beyn ane smal cotage 1596 Dalr. I. 62/3.
Euerie foul conueining to the gretnes of the schel Ib. 160/23.
Dardanie … quha fra the gretnes of his grouth was called Grossie
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"Gretnes n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 30 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/gretnes>