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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Ungrate, -grait, adj. (n.). Also: ungrat(t, -graitt, -great, wngrait, -great, ongrat(e, -graitt, ungraith. Superl. also ongraettest. [Late ME and e.m.E. vngrate n. (c1400), adj. (a1548).] = Ingrate adj., n.

A. adj. 1. Ungrateful (for a favour, or to(wards) a person, etc.).(1) 1559 Knox VI 49.
Ungrate yee sall be proved in presence of his throne 1596 Dalr. I 348/11.
That vngrate nobilitie, sa dour vnthankfull a1599 Rollock Wks. I 406.
Lenitie and meiknes suld … be … tempered with schairpnes, that ungrat men may be brocht to ane sense and feiling of sinne and miserie 1672 M. P. Brown Suppl. Decis. II 610.
A woman … being at the point of death dispones some tenements of land … She recovering … raises reduction [etc.] … that the donatarii were ungrate, in so far as they refused to repone her to her own place upon her reconvalescence(b) 1575 Rep. Hist. MSS, Var. Coll. V 112.
Alwaise assure yourselfe that … I shall not be nayther ungrait nor forgetfull a1597-1617 Hist. Jas. VI (1825) 3.
She forgave all these wha had offendit hir and cheiflie these ungrait people who she had promovit to heigh honors c1600 Montg. Suppl. v 38.
Fas tratour, vngraitt & periurd 1611-57 Mure Early Misc. P. iii 10.
Wngrait(c) 1646 4th Rep. Hist. MSS 522/2.
Wngreat sillie foullesuperl. 1622 Melrose P. 465.
Or then be esteamit the vngratest man leving(b) 1601 Cal. Sc. P. XIII 830.
[He is] ongraetlye [handled … so that if your Honour would deal for him now he could not (unless he was the] ongraettest [man in the world) but be altogether sold over unto your Honour](2) 1540 Acts II 363/2.
He will nocht be vnremembrand and vngrat for the gude and thankfull seruice done to him(b) 1719 Bk. Carlaverock I 441.
I hope you will not think me so ungreat for all the favours I have receved(3) 1596 Dalr. I 172/21.
That he war nocht funde to be vngrate toward him for his deseruengis 1635 Sutherland Bk. II 160.
I wald willinglie … be awendgit on him, haweinge prowene so vngratt to him of worthie memorie that lost his lyff for his freedome 1683 Fraser P. 261.
Coll has proved mostt ungraitt to my sistter(b) 1639 Baillie II 436.
It is my greife to be the mother of so ongraitt a sone … who is also ongraitt to his parents 1698 Annandale Corr. 156.
The English parlament is verry trobelsome and ongrat to a king that heath done so great things for them(c) 1632 Sutherland Bk. II 158.
The Duck of Saxone, quha hes prowene vngraith to his countrie

b. transf. Of a person's actions or attributes: Indicative of ingratitude. 1596 Dalr. I 189/23.
Sindrie ingines of men ar sa vngrate and vnthankful that na benifite … thay wil acknowlege 1596 Dalr. II 416/25.
He … infected with the spot of hæresie, and sa foul fylet with the bleck of an vngrate and vnthankful mynd 1596 Dalr. II 417/19.
Lat al man thairfor beleiue rather al thing of him, than that he suld incur that vngrate stommok [L. ingrati animi notam] c1620 Sutherland Bk. II 342.
Ther cannot be a worsse thing on earth then ane vngrate and vnthankfull mynd 1633 Johnston Diary I 58.
Seing thy stubborne ungrat walking against Gods love a1639 Spotsw. Hist. (1677) 32.
Upon the ungrate behaviour of Ranulph … he recalled his gift

2. Distasteful, obnoxious.Some examples may belong in 1. 1646 Baillie II 364.
It's a marvell to me if these men should allwayes prosper, their wayes are so impious, unjust, ungrate, and every way hatefull 1685 Wodrow Hist. IV (1830) 286.
The ungrate, as well as unjust putting to death of most innocent and faithful men, upon absurd pretences 1686 Reg. Privy C. 3 Ser. XIII 52.
It wer ungrate, unreasonable and unjust that the appearand air … should eyther seek ane aliment out of that [sc. victual] or any pairt of the lyfrent

B. noun. One who is ungrateful. 1596 Dalr. I 122/12.
A murthirer, a dum, or vngrate to his parents, to thir succeid thou nevir in heritage 1621-40 Melville Commonpl. Bk. 38.
God law and natur condemis the wngrait