Dreich

/dɹiːk/ · adjective

Meaning

Extending for a long distance or time, especially when tedious or wearisome; long-drawn-out, protracted; also, of speech or writing: unnecessarily verbose; long-winded..

Definitions by Sense

1. Extending for a long distance or time, especially when tedious or wearisome; long-drawn-out, protracted; also, of speech or writing: unnecessarily verbose; long-winded.
2. Not enjoyable or interesting; boring, dull.
3. Bleak, cheerless, dismal, dreary, miserable.
4. suitably serious or solemn
5. of a person: patient, stoic, tolerant, resolute
6. Slow, sluggish; specifically, of a person: tending to delay or procrastinate (especially when paying for something).
7. Of a person: having a dejected or serious appearance or mood; dour, gloomy, moody, morose, sullen.
8. Of a task: laborious, tedious, troublesome; hence, needing concentration to understand; intricate.

Example Sentences

So Alec showed her the letter, 'twas long and dreich and went on and on; […]

VVhen thou an' I vvere young an' ſkiegh, / An' ſtable-meals at Fairs vvere driegh, / Hovv thou vvad prance, an' ſnore, an' ſkriegh, / An' tak the road!

["]My life is a bit driegh," says he, pouring out the brandy; "I see little company, and sit and twirl my thumbs, and mind upon a great day that is gone by, and weary for another great day that we all hope will be upon the road. And so here's a toast to ye: The Restoration!"

But he's lying i' such dree poverty,—and niver a friend to go near him,—niver a person to speak a kind word t' him.

Aweel, Wully was an unco praying kind o' man; a dreigh body, nane o' my kind, I never could abide the sight o' him; […]

The dreichest saul could see he had sunlicht in his ee, / And there's no his marrow left in the toun.

It looked a dreich, cold place as you rode by at night, near as lonesome as the old Mill was, and not near as handy.

There are many other species of Scottish station, from geranium-hung coastal termini to dreich places in the Black Country, but a concluding note must be reached, and it shall concern Glasgow.

Synonyms for dreich

Antonyms for dreich

Related Words

Word Forms

• dreicher
• dreichest
• dree
• dreigh
• dreegh
• dreiches

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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