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.
Quotation dates: 1824, 1895-1901
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GAIRY, n.1 Also garry (Kcb. 1897 T. Murray Frae the Heather 56). A vertical outcrop of rock, esp. on a hillside, a crag (m., s.Sc. 1869 Athenaeum (13 March) 382, Dmf. 1925 Trans. Dmf. & Gall. Antiq. Soc. 26, rare). Cf. Gerrock, n.2 [′gere]Gall. 1824 “Cincinnatus Caledonius” Lights & Shadows 182:
The Fairies. . . . Their green dress — their gambols among glens and gairies — and their feats about Halloween — afforded much amusement to our Scottish ancestors.Kcb. 1895 Crockett Moss-Hags xxxix.:
As I came to the little gairy above the trees I looked down, and from the verge of it I saw the strangest contrivance.Kcb. 1898 Crockett Standard-Bearer xiv.:
The officers that wad keep a man frae brewin' his decent wormfu', or at least gar him tak' the bother o' doin' it . . . on some gairy-face instead o' openly on his kitchen floor.Dmf. 1899 J. Shaw in Country Schoolmaster (ed. Wallace) 339:
A precipice they aften name a “gairy”.Kcb. 1901 Crockett Cinderella xliii.:
At last beneath a “gairy” of rock, with the green ivy pouring out of every crevice and crawling laboriously up the perpendicular face, they paused.
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"Gairy n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/gairy_n1>
