† dreigh, dreich Obs.
Also 4 dreh, drehi, dreih, drei, drey, 4–5 dreghe, dreȝ(e, driȝe.
[? f. dreȝe, dregh, earlier form of dree a.]
1. Long duration of space or time; length, distance, extent.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 2916 And thus they drevene to þe dede dukes and erles, Alle þe dreghe of þe daye. c 1400 Destr. Troy 678 When the dregh was don of þe derke night. a 1400–50 Alexander 4788, viij daies be-dene þe driȝe was, and mare, Or he miȝt couire to þe copp fra þe caue vndire. |
2. phr. a- dreigh, on- dreigh, (o-) dregh: at or to a distance, afar off; = a-drigh, q.v.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 21859 (Cott.) Bi takens ferr on drei Men wat it es command nei. c 1470 Henry Wallace v. 1079 Folow on dreich, giff that we mystir ocht. 1533 Bellenden Livy iii. (1822) 213 Throw ane signe that Quincius maid on dreich, the Romanis ischit fra thair tentis. 1715 Ramsay Christ's Kirk ii. vi, He stood nae lang a-dreigh. |
3. Tediousness, annoyance. rare.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 5578 All þe dreȝe of þa deuels þai drenchid or þai past. |