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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GLED, adj., v. Also gledd, glaid, †glade. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. glad. See P.L.D. § 49 (1). [Sc. glɛd, glæd, Ags. + gle(:)d]

I. adj. 1. As in Eng.Fif. 1710 R. Sibbald Fif. & Knr. 14:
I shall adduce a few [words], which we pronounce as the Goths do. Gled, glad, joyful.Sc. 1719 in Analecta Scot. (Maidment 1837) II. 199:
I am glade to hear that you are advanceing in your work, and have finished the first book.ne.Sc. 1888 D. Grant Keckleton 30:
“Yer a terrible bodie, Tammas”, says Mary Davidson. “I believe ye wud be glaid to bury's a' for greed o' siller.”Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders iii.:
“Gracious,” said Jerry, “but it's guid. I'm gled I got up o' my ain free will.”Uls. 1900 A. McIlroy Craig-Linnie Burn 166:
“We're a' gled tae get settled again,” he remarked.Edb. 1931 E. Albert Herrin' Jennie 340:
Ony fairmer 'd be gled to take us on.wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 32:
Alane wi' you at last - I'm quite delightit.
And very gled oor pleasure's mutual and requitit! Gsw. 1990 John and Willy Maley From the Calton to Catalonia 28:
Ye'll be gled a that.

Hence (1) gledly, glaid-, adv., gladly; (2) gledness, glaid-, n., gladness; (3) gledsome, adj., cheering, cheerful.(1) Abd. 1865 G. Macdonald Alec Forbes III. xxii.:
For I wad glaidly depairt and be with the Lord.Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fables Frae French 38:
I naethin' ken aboot auld deeds o' law, I'll gledly niffer't for a plack or twa.(2) ne.Sc. 1884 D. Grant Lays 67:
Swelled by that mysterious glaidness Mithers feel anent their first.Dmf. 1912 J. L. Waugh Robbie Doo vii.:
There was beside me yin wha's presence sent a glow o' brichtness and gledness through me.Sc. 1991 R. Crombie Saunders in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 27:
Or gin mysel an luve had ches to flee
Out o thy hert thegither, I wad dree
Mair lichtlie tho my gledness suld be skaith.(3) Dmf. 1917 J. L. Waugh Cute McCheyne 138:
The gledsome look he gied me juist made my hert loup like a lassie's.Sc. 1928 J. Wilson Hamespun 62:
Invitin' man an' beast to share The gledsome morn.

2. (1) Of a fire: clear, shining brightly but without flame (Ork. 1929 Marw., glad, gled(d)). Also used substantivally = embers.Ib.:
Lay the “kuithe” on the gleds tae roast.

(2) Of the sky: unclouded, clear.Bnff.² 1930:
There's a gled spot in the north-east.

3. Used adv. with content = especially content (Sc. 1911 S.D.D., glad-; Wgt. 1954).

II. v. In poet. use only. In Eng. used arch.Lnk. 1881 A. Wardrop Poems 97:
Fu' cheerie is the ingleside, The sicht wad gled ye a'.Lnl. 1890 A. M. Bisset Spring Blossoms 48:
And Nature a' her beauties spreads Tae gled the he'rt and een.