scotch

plural scotches

1. A surface cut or abrasion.
2. A line drawn on the ground, as one used in playing hopscotch.
3. A block for a wheel or other round object; a chock, wedge, prop, or other support, to prevent slipping.

   a scotch for a wheel or a log on inclined ground

   3 more examples

   He was like the scotch in the smooth, happy machinery of the home. And he was always aware of this fall of silence on his entry, the shutting off of life, the unwelcome.

   1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, chapter 4, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC

   In December, 1949, the Ashby to Worthington section of the former Midland Railway Ashby branch was divided into two portions by the insertion of a scotch block at Ticknall Siding, which requires both the tablet from Worthington and wooden staff from Ashby to unlock it and permit through working.

   1952 April, C. R. Clinker and Gordon Biddle, “Swannington and Ticknall Today”, in Railway Magazine, pages 264-265

   The cars are positioned and secured solely by simple scotches pegged into the decking of the vehicle and easily movable; [...].

   1964 November, “"Cartic 4"—BR's new two-tier car-carrier”, in Modern Railways, page 324

present singular third person scotches · participle present scotching · participle past scotched · past scotched

1. transitiveTo cut or score; to wound superficially.

   We have scotched the snake, not killed it.

   c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]

2. transitiveTo prevent (something) from being successful.

   The rain scotched his plans of going to the beach.

   Synonyms: foil, put the kibosh on, thwart

3. transitiveTo debunk or discredit an idea or rumor.

   The prime minister scotched rumors of his resignation.

   1 more example

   Other declassified files from the 1960s show that the Northern Ireland government discussed a proposed tunnel to Scotland. Several district councils and a US firm, Technical Studies Inc, championed the idea, but Stormont officials scotched it as impractical and too expensive.

   2023 August 23, Rory Carroll, “Files reveal terms ministers were warned not to use in Northern Ireland”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   Synonyms: spike

4. transitiveTo block a wheel or other round object.

   The workers stopped the rig on an incline and scotched the wheels.

   1 more example

   The pantechnicon was running away. It had perceived the wrath to come and was fleeing. Its guardians had evidently left it imperfectly scotched or braked, and it had got loose.

   1911, Arnold Bennett, The Card: A Story of Adventure in the Five Towns, London: Methuen Publishing, OCLC 492063506; republished Toronto, Ont.: William Briggs, 1910s, OCLC 225424669, page 69

   Synonyms: chock, block

5. transitiveTo dress (stone) with a pick or pointed instrument.
6. transitivetextile manufacturingTo beat yarn in order to break up slugs and align the threads.

   Yarn is scotched immediately after it has been dried and while it is still warm. http://www.google.com/patents?id=DXdGAAAAEBAJ&pg=PP3&vq=scotched&dq=scotching

7. obsoletetransitiveTo clothe or cover up.

comparative more scotch · superlative most scotch

1. alternativeAlternative form of Scotch (“Scottish”)

plural scotches

1. alternativecountableuncountableAlternative form of Scotch (“whisky”).

   Do you think Tom likes to drink wine or scotch?

   2026, G. V. Candido-Beecher, illustrated by Nick Beecher, Voldemort: The Definitive Study of Tom Riddle — The Man Who Would Become "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named", page 29

   1 more example

   A waiter brought his aperitif, which was a small scotch and soda, and as he sipped it gratefully he sighed.

   1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 5, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC

1. abbreviationclippinguncountableClipping of Scotch tape.

present singular third person scotches · participle present scotching · participle past scotched · past scotched

1. AustralianslangtransitiveTo rape.

   Synonyms: abuse, ravish, violate, abuse, constuprate, defile, defoul, dishonour

1. datedThe Scots language.

   But Rob was just saying what a shame it was that folk should be shamed nowadays to speak Scotch – or they called it Scots if they did, the split-tongued sourocks!

   1932, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Sunset Song (A Scots Quair), Polygon, published 2006, page 156

2. datedThe Scottish dialect of English.

   Synonyms: Scots, Scottish

3. datedThe people of Scotland.

   The Scotch are a hardy bunch.

   Synonyms: Scots, Scottish

4. informalboard gamesThe opening 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4.

   Karpov played the Scotch against Anand.

   Synonyms: the Scotch Game

plural Scotches

1. uncountableWhisky distilled in Scotland, especially from malted barley.

   Paul has drunk a lot of Scotch.

   Synonyms: malt, malt whiskey, malt whisky, Scotch whisky

2. countableAny variety of Scotch.

   My favorite Scotches are Glenlivet and Laphroaig.

3. countableA glass of Scotch.

   Gimme a Scotch.

1. datednot comparableOf or from Scotland; Scottish.

   our landlord informed us, with a sort of apologetic tone, that there was a Scotch gentleman to dine with us.

   1817, Walter Scott, Rob Roy

   1 more example

   Behind all his assumed unsocialism there lay a true warm heart; nor could anything be kindlier than the welcome which, whenever they did come to him, any of his Scotch relatives received.

   1801, William Hanna, Memoirs of the life and writings of Thomas Chalmers, page 422

   Synonyms: Scottish, Scots