▪ I. graip Sc. and north. dial.
(ˈgreːp)
Also 4–9 grape, 6 graype.
[a. ON. greip fem. (recorded only in the sense ‘space between thumb and fingers, grip, grasp’; but cf. OSw. greep, mod.Sw. grep, Da. greb fork) corresponding to OE. gráp fem., grasp, f. OTeut. root *grī̆p: see grip, grope.]
1. A three- or four-pronged fork used as a dung-fork or for digging.
| 1459 Durham Acct. Rolls (Surtees) 89, j scala, j Grape, j Shepecroke. 1483 Cath. Angl. 163/1 A Grape; vbi forke, tridens (A.). 1559 Wills & Inv. N. C. (Surtees 1853) 171 A kowter, a soke, a muk fowe, a graype, 2 yerne forks, [etc.]. 1785 Burns Halloween xviii, The graip he for a harrow taks. 1799 Robertson Agric. Perth 176 Potatoes..are raised in October..with the three pronged forks used for dung (provincially grapes). 1817 Blackw. Mag. I. 161/1 A graip, a sort of large three-pronged fork used about farm offices. 1822 Scott Pirate xvii, He shook his graip aloft. 1894 Superfluous Woman (ed. 4) I. 74, I must just give her the graip..and bid her lift a potato. |
† 2. ? A handful, piece. Obs.—1
| c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 471 Greit Graipis of Gold his Greis [i.e. greaves]..And his Cussanis cumlie schynand. |
▪ II. graip
variant of grape n.3
▪ III. graip
Sc. and north. dial. variant of grope v.