gree

[ gree ]

See synonyms for: greed on Thesaurus.com

nounChiefly Scots.

superiority, mastery, or victory.
the prize for victory.

Obsolete. a step.

Origin of gree

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English gre “step, flight of steps; victory in a tournament or battle; rank, position,” from Old French gré “a step,” from Latin gradus “step, stage, footing, stance”; cf. grade, degree

Words Nearby gree

Other definitions for gree (2 of 3)

gree²

[ gree ]

nounArchaic.

favor; goodwill.
satisfaction, as for an injury.

Origin of gree

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English gre, from Old French gre, gred, gret “pleasure, goodwill,” from Latin grātum “what is agreeable,” the neuter singular of grātus “pleasing”

Other definitions for gree (3 of 3)

gree³

[ gree ]

verb (used with or without object),greed, gree·ing.British Dialect.

agree.

Origin of gree

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English green “to satisfy, come to terms with,” possibly a shortened form of agreen “to agree,” or from Old French gréer “to please, be pleased with”;cf. agree, gree²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use gree in a sentence

The tricks o' knaves, or fash o' fools,Thou bear'st the gree!
The Book of Humorous Verse | Various
You may've noticed 't I'm jush trifle—er, well, some people ud shay zhrunk, Toffski—rude 'n' dish'gree'ble people dshay zhrunk.
Tin-Types Taken in the Streets of New York | Lemuel Ely Quigg
And they arena that bad at girdles for carcakes neither, though the Cu'ross hammermen have the gree for that.
The Heart of Mid-Lothian, Volume 2, Illustrated | Sir Walter Scott
I never thought that things good to eat could be so dis'gree'ble.
The Emerald City of Oz | L. Frank Baum
The gree was born awa frae them by a perfect stranger, kenned neither to them nor to me.
Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Vol. XX | Alexander Leighton

British Dictionary definitions for gree (1 of 3)

gree¹

/ (ɡriː) /

nounScot archaic

superiority or victory
the prize for a victory

Origin of gree

C14: from Old French gré, from Latin gradus step

British Dictionary definitions for gree (2 of 3)

gree²

/ (ɡriː) /

nounobsolete

goodwill; favour
satisfaction for an insult or injury

Origin of gree

C14: from Old French gré, from Latin grātum what is pleasing; see grateful

British Dictionary definitions for gree (3 of 3)

gree³

/ (ɡriː) /

verbgrees, greeing or greed

archaic, or dialect to come or cause to come to agreement or harmony

Origin of gree

C14: variant of agree

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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