Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1836, 1899, 1952
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‡GOLGRAV, n. Also go(i)lgref, -gruve, guilgruff, gulgra(a)ve, -gref, †goolgrave. The open drain from a byre or midden (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., goolgrave, 1914 Angus Gl., gulgrave); also applied to the liquid manure or the mixture of urine and manure found in the runnel of a cow-shed (Sh. 1825 Jam., goolgrave, 1908 Jak. (1928), golgrav, go(i)lgref, gul-). [′golgrɑ:v, -grɛf, ′gʊl-]Sh. 1836 Gentleman's Mag. II. 591:
What wi da swyne, an da fokk, an da goilgruve o' da middeen. . . .Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 143:
The nettles are buried in the gulgraave o' da vyeadie (open drain) of the byre.Sh. 1952 J. Hunter Taen wi da Trow 152:
Du haes somethin far mair lively Dan guilgruff or bizzie flaw.
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"Golgrav n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 1 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/golgrav>
