ONlwSG

greòd m. [ɡ̊ɾʲɔːd̪̥], gen. greòid [ɡ̊ɾʲɔːd̥ʲ], in the sense ‘(good) coarse earth’ is derived by Cox (1987 II, 107; so also 1991, 492: ‘grit’; and 1992, 139 fn 7) from ON grjót nt. (coll.) ‘rock, stone; stones’.

Cf. OIce. grjót ‘stones’ (Zoëga 1910), Scots (Shetland) †grød [grø̄d] ‘rocky ground; a rocky stretch of coast; collection of big boulders or fragments of rock’ (Jakobsen 1928, s.v. grød: ‘now only used as a place-name, though the meaning of the word is still understood’).

The phonetic development is as anticipated, although, as the Gaelic usage is not attested in standard lexical works, McDonald (2009, 359: grjot [sic]) considers the loan uncertain. On the other hand, MacBain (1911) and Dwelly (1911) derive greòd from Eng. crowd. Eng. crowd /kraʊd/, however, would likely yield SG *crabhd *[kʰɾaud̪̥] or similar, while Scots croud [krud] would likely yield SG *crud *[kʰɾud̪̥] or similar.

SG greòd is attested in the following senses: (Lewis) ‘(good) coarse earth; grit’ (Cox ibid.): talamh greò[i]d ‘a reddish type of soil’ (Faclan bhon t-Sluagh^˄); (Skye) ‘a group; a number, several’ (Màiri Mhòr nan Òran: Meek 1998, 213.72: greòdan pl., 214.89: greòd), ‘group, company, crowd’ (Dwelly 1911 

After Charles M. Robertson (cf. Robertson 1902, 86).

); (South Uist) ‘a great number of small things’ (McDonald 1972), ‘a band (group); crowd’ (Fr Alan McDonald: Watson 1932, 106, 364; Black 2002, 178–79); (Argyllshire) ‘a crowd’ (MacBain 1911), ‘group, company, crowd’ (Dwelly 1911). Dwelly also lists (Wester Ross) sgreòd ‘group’, with prothetic s-, 

After Charles M. Robertson (cf. Robertson 1904, 347, 363). For discussion and examples of prothetic s- in the Gaelic languages, see Robertson ibid., 347; O’Rahilly 1927, 24–29: 27–29; Risk 1970, 628; Gleasure 1973, 190–91; Clancy 1992.

although Watson (1932, 364) associates the form with Easter Ross.

AFB^˄ lists both greòd ‘group, crowd; large amount’ and sgreòd ‘group, crowd’.

^,

SG greòd also occurs in the genitive plural in the sense ‘gravel’ in SG Bàgh nan Greòd NL644903, in Barra (Stahl 1999, 138: [ˌbaɣnə ˈŋg̊riɔːd]), and possibly in the radical plural in SG Na Greotan [sic] NL593869, in Pabbay (ibid., 208, s.v. Greòtal NL591871). SG Grèod (leg. Greòd) NG275046 (Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba^˄), in Sanday, may be a loan-name from ON *Grjót.

Derivatives: SG greòideach ‘messy’ (Wentworth 2003: Wester Ross), with the adjectival suffix -ach, may belong here.

The place-name SG Rubha Greotach [sic] [ˌRu-ə 'g̊rɛɔ:tɔ̆x] ‘gravelly promontory’ NL589871 (Stahl 1999, 250) perhaps contains an adjectival form greòdach.