gristly, a.
(ˈgrɪslɪ)
Forms: α. 4, 7 grystly, 5 grustlye, gristeli, 6 -el(l)y, grisselye, 7 grissly, (gristlely), grisselly, 7–9 grisly, 6– gristly. β. Sc. 6 girsillie, 8 girslie.
[f. gristle n. + -y1.]
1. Pertaining to, or of the nature of gristle; consisting or full of gristle; cartilaginous.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. xii. (1495) 116 The substaunce of the very ere is grystly. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 23 Þe eende of þe þrote bolle is gristeli [v.r. grustlye]. 1555 W. Watreman Fardle Facions i. vi. 102 When thei haue gnabeled of the softest and gristely partes with their tiethe. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. I. 30 His flesche was all girssillie bot of a trim taist. 1615 H. Crooke Body of Man 379 A hard substance sometimes gristlely..which in some Creatures..is a very gristle. Ibid. 613 An vpper part which is immoueable and bony, and a lower, which is moueable and gristly. 1657 Evelyn Diary 19 Sept., Certaine grissly skinns curiously jointed, yet loose. 1796 Morse Amer. Geog. I. 195 On his shoulders arises a large fleshy or grisly substance. 1797 M. Baillie Morb. Anat. (1807) 144 The peritonæal covering of the stomach..has almost a gristly hardness. 1805 J. Nicol Poems I. 155 (Jam.) His girslie nose. 1863 Lyell Antiq. Man 14 The gristly parts have been gnawed off, as if by dogs. 1884 M. Mackenzie Dis. Throat & Nose II. 176 A piece of gristly meat one inch in length. |
† b. Having a cartilaginous skeleton, as some fishes. (See cartilaginous 1 b.) Obs.
| 1601 Holland Pliny I. 333 Such fishes as wee called Cartilagineous and gristly. 1607 Topsell Serpents (1658) 682 It [a serpent] also beareth egges in her place of conception..which are there disposed in order, as in other living gristly creatures. |
2. Having a texture resembling that of gristle, in toughness, etc.
| 1601 Holland Pliny I. 378 The best Galbanum..is gristly and cleare withall. 1688 R. Holme Armoury ii. 115/2 Gristly seeds are thin skinny flat seeds. 1776–96 Withering Brit. Plants (ed. 3) I. 189 Cup 5 leaves and 5 angles, gristly. 1800 Phil. Trans. XC. 337 The gristly substance which forms the bulbs. |
Hence ˈgristliness (Bailey vol. II, 1727).