Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BLEACH, BLEECH, BLEETCH, v. and n. [blitʃ]

1. v., tr. and intr.

(1) tr. “To strike; to beat” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 217).Abd. 1826 D. Anderson Poems 20; Abd.² 1934:
But L — d, O L — d, thee I beseech, In fervent prayer, Mine an' thine enemies to bleech, Wi' ruthless ire.

Hence, (a) bleacher, n., “a severe stroke” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 217); (b) bleachin', vbl.n., a thrashing.(b) Kcb.¹ 1934:
I gied him a guid bleachin', onywey.

(2) intr. To fall flat.Bnff.⁹ c.1927:
He bleached back on his hands and feet on the carpet.Lth. 1808 Jam.:
To Bleach down, or along. To fall flat to the ground.

2. n.

(1) A blow, a stroke.Abd. 1746 W. Forbes Dominie Deposed in John Cheap, The Chapman's Library (1877) 6:
He [Bacchus] drown'd a' my cares to preach, Wi' his ma't-bree, I've wore sair banes by mony a bleech O' his tap-tree.Bwk. 1856 G. Henderson Popular Rhymes 85:
Hit it a bleech, Tam Fish.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 75, bleech, a stroke; n., centr.–s.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., bleach, a blow.Rxb. 1815 J. Ruickbie Poems 119:
But wisely judged by martial bleetch To fleg the congregation Frae sin that day.

(2) A fall.Lth. 1808 Jam.:
Bleach is also used to denote a fall of this description [i.e. flat on the ground].

(3) Used adverbially. Violently.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1839) v.:
She . . . gave him such a kick and a push, that he played bleach over, head foremost, without being able to recover himself.