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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.

GRASSUM, n., v. Also †grass-sum (Abd. 1760 Abd. Jnl. (1 Dec.)), †gressam, †gressom, †gersome; †pl. grassimer (Sh. c.1772 in A. C. O'Dell Hist. Geog. Sh. (1939) 241), and also †grassum.

I. n. Sc. Law: a sum of money paid or promised by a tenant to his landlord at the grant or renewal of his lease or by a feuar to his superior at the grant of the feu-right, in addition to the periodical rent or feu-duty stipulated for in the grant (Sc. 1808 Jam., 1890 Bell Dict. Law Scot. 492, 1946 A. D. Gibb Legal Terms 38). Also attrib. Obs. in Eng. exc. in n.Eng. dial.Gsw. 1703 Burgh Rec. (1908) 366:
To sett no subtacks to any of the tennants of the forsaids lands below the present rentall for any grassum or foremaill to be given.Sc. 1739 Caled. Mercury (27 Sept.):
The Forty Pound Land of Wamphray . . . for which Lands the Tenants are in use to pay every eleventh Year, at a Medium, a Grassum of a Year's Rent.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 64:
Till he can lend the stoitering state a lift Wi' gowd in gowpins as a grassum gift.Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr. 173:
Grassum are now almost unknown in Ayrshire.Sc. 1822 Scott Letters (Cent. ed.) VII. 187:
The lease stipulated a grassum but it seems such grassum was not ultimately exacted.Slk. 1845 Stat. Acc.² III. 54:
The Deans of the Chapel Royal . . . generally take a grassum for nineteen years.Bnff. 1880 J. F. S. Gordon Chrons. Keith 262:
One of the lords of Findlater . . . gave . . . a life-interest in the Lands knows as the “Cuthil Braes,” as a grassum or compensation, in consideration of his erecting a “Beating-Mill” on Isla side.Sc. 1929 Green's Encyclopedia VII. 502:
Nowadays grassum is used generally to denote any lump sum payable under a contract in addition to the periodical payments thereby stipulated, e.g. the payment or duplication stipulated in a modern contract of ground annual is often referred to as a grassum.Sc. 1955 Form for Return of Valuation of Lands and Heritages:
If any grassum is paid by a Tenant, or any consideration other than the stipulated rent, the nature and value thereof to be stated.

†II. v. In ppl.adj. gersomed, gressomed, burdened with a grassum (Abd. 1825 Jam.).