scotch

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /skɒt͡ʃ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /skɑt͡ʃ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒtʃ

Etymology 1

From Middle English scocchen (“to cut”), perhaps from Anglo-Norman escocher (“to notch”), from es- (“intensive prefix”) (from Latin ex-) + Old French coche (“notch”). Not related to Scotch.

Noun

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

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

     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.

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

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

Derived terms

• hopscotch

Translations

Verb

scotch (third-person singular simple present scotches, present participle scotching, simple past and past participle scotched)

1. (transitive) To cut or score; to wound superficially.
   • c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     We have scotched the snake, not killed it.

2. (transitive) To prevent (something) from being successful.

   Synonyms: foil, put the kibosh on, thwart

   The rain scotched his plans of going to the beach.

3. (transitive) To debunk or discredit an idea or rumor.

   The prime minister scotched rumors of his resignation.

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

     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.

4. (transitive) To block a wheel or other round object.

   Synonyms: chock, block

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

   • 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:

     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.

5. (transitive) To dress (stone) with a pick or pointed instrument.
6. (transitive, textile manufacturing) To 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.

7. (transitive, obsolete) To clothe or cover up.

Translations

Etymology 2

Adjective

scotch (comparative more scotch, superlative most scotch)

1. Alternative form of Scotch (“Scottish”)

Noun

scotch (countable and uncountable, plural scotches)

1. Alternative form of Scotch (“whisky”)
   • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 5, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:

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

Etymology 3

From 3M's Scotch tape.

Noun

scotch (uncountable)

1. Scotch tape

Verb

scotch (third-person singular simple present scotches, present participle scotching, simple past and past participle scotched)

1. (transitive, Australian rhyming slang) To rape.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /skɔtʃ/

Etymology 1

Borrowed from English scotch.

Noun

scotch m (plural scotchs)

1. scotch (whisky)

Etymology 2

From 3M's Scotch tape. Genericized trademark.

Noun

scotch m (uncountable)

1. Scotch tape, sticky tape

   Synonyms: (Belgium) papier collant, ruban adhésif

Derived terms

• scotcher

Further reading

• “scotch”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

Italian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English scotch.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈskɔt͡ʃ/
• Rhymes: -ɔtʃ

Noun

scotch m (invariable)

1. scotch (whiskey)
2. adhesive tape

   Synonym: nastro adesivo

Romanian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English scotch.

Noun

scotch n (uncountable)

1. scotch tape

Declension