Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

†GRAMASHES, n.pl. Also grammaches, gramashens, -ans, -ons, ¶gramoches; grommashens (Ayr. 1912 D. McNaught Kilmaurs 297), greymashes (Per. 1835 in “H. Haliburton” Sc. Fields (1890) 76). Variant forms of Gamashins, long gaiters or leggings, gen. made of cloth or leather (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 690, -ons; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 240); “sometimes applied to a kind of stockings worn instead of boots” (Jam.). [grə′mɑʃə(n)z]Sc. 1708 Hist. MSS. Comm. Report (Mar and Kellie MSS.) 475:
Gramashes above and galashes below.Rnf. 1813 E. Picken Poems I. 124:
I've guid gramashens worn mysel'; . . . They kept me cosh baith cauf an' coots.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality i.:
Strong clouted shoes, studded with hobnails, and gramoches, or leggins, made of thick black cloth, completed his equipment.Sc. 1832 A. Henderson Proverbs 136:
Put your shanks in your thanks, and mak gude gramashes o' them. (An answer to those that offer only thanks for payment).Per. 1836 G. Penny Traditions 21:
Old men wore grammaches above their stockings, which were drawn up above the breeches to the middle of the thigh, and were fastened below by a flap coming forward on the foot, under the buckle of the shoe.