gree

plural grees

1. obsoleteOne of a flight of steps.

   "My grand-daughter doesn't like to be kept waitin' when the tea is ready, for it takes me time to crammle aboon the grees, for there be a many of 'em, and miss, I lack belly-timber sairly by the clock."

   1897, Bram Stoker, chapter 5, in Dracula

2. obsoleteA stage in a process; a degree of rank or station.

   He is a shepherd great in gree.

   1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Iuly. Ægloga Septima.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Iohn Wolfe for Iohn Harrison the yonger, […], →OCLC

3. obsoletegeometryA degree.

plural grees

1. ScotlandcountableuncountablePre-eminence; victory or superiority in combat (hence also, the prize for winning a combat).

   bycause Sir Palomydes beganne fyrste, and never he wente nor rode oute of the fylde to repose hym, but ever he was doynge on horsebak othir on foote, and lengest durynge, Kynge Arthure and all the kynges gaff Sir Palomydes the honoure and the gre as for that day.

   1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book X

   1 more example

   And thenne the kynge lete blowe to lodgynge and by cause sir Palomydes beganne fyrste and neuer he went nor rode oute of the feld to repose but euer was doynge merueyllously wel outher on foote or on horsbak and lengest durynge Kynge Arthur and alle the kynges gaf sir Palomydes the honour and the gree as for that daye

   1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “lxxj”, in Le Morte Darthur, book X

1. archaicuncountablePleasure, goodwill, satisfaction.

   Accept in gree, my lord, the words I spoke.

   1600, [Torquato Tasso], “(please specify |book=1 to 20)”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e., Edward Fairfax], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem. […], London: […] Ar[nold] Hatfield, for I[saac] Iaggard and M[atthew] Lownes, →OCLC

   1 more example

   When it was the Second Night, said Dunyazad to her sister Shahrazad, "O my sister, finish for us that story of the Merchant and the Jinni;" and she answered "With joy and goodly gree, if the King permit me."

   1885, Sir Richard Francis Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, volume 1

present singular third person grees · participle present greeing · participle past greed · past greed

1. NigeriaintransitiveobsoleteTo agree.

   Gob. […]how dooſt thou and thy Maſter agree, I haue brought him a preſent; how gree you now?

   c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 168