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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FLEECH, v.¹, n. Also fleetch, flei(t)ch, fleach, ¶flaech. [fli:tʃ]

I. v., tr. To coax, wheedle, flatter; to beseech, entreat, importune (Bwk., wm.Sc., Kcb., Dmf., Rxb. 1951). Obsol. elsewhere, except in literary use. Also intr. with on, wi. Vbl.n. fleechin(g), flattery; ppl.adj. fleechan, -en, -in, wheedling; “applied to the weather when it falsely assumes a favourable appearance” (Fif. 1825 Jam.). Phr.: ‡to fleech an' fecht, “to cajole, and scold immediately after” (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Sc. 1718 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 81:
She fleech'd him fairly to his Bed, Wi' ca'ing him her Burdy.Edb. 1773 R. Fergusson Poems (1925) 29:
Ye need na think to fleetch or cox.Ayr. 1786 Burns Ded. to G. Hamilton i.:
Expect na, Sir, in this narration, A fleechan, fleth'ran Dedication.Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxx.:
Captain, it's no to fleech ony favour out o' ye, for I scorn it.Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck viii.:
My mither has baith to fleitch an' fight or she can get him eggit on till't.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail xxxix.:
I only say, mother, that I'll no sign ony paper whatsomever, . . . — so ye need na try to fleetch me.Lnk. 1853 W. Watson Poems 54:
E'en while I'm fleechin' wi' the hizzie For bits o' rhyme.Dwn. 1886 W. G. Lyttle Sons of the Sod i.:
Ae drap to your weazen, Although it should gizen, For fechtin' or fleechin' ye'll ne'er get frae me.Kcb. 1894 Crockett Raiders xlv.:
He would often fleech on me to take part in the exercises.Sc. 1920 A. Gray Songs from Heine 80:
But she says, fleichin', “Gudeman, be douce, He's an honest an' weel-meanin' chiel.”m.Sc. 1982 Douglas MacLagan in Hamish Brown Poems of the Scottish Hills 160:
The mair they fleeched, the mair they spoke,
The mair the Duke blew out his smoke em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 215:
Mitchel almost laughed, but restrained himself. 'Away! The man would fleg the lassies wi his ill looks, no fleetch them.'
'There was nae enticement needed,' said Bell. 'He got a lass fou, and took her up on the Rock alane wi him. It was rape in aw but name.'

Hence: (1) fleecher, a flatterer, a wheedler; ¶(2) fleecherie, flattery, coaxing; †(3) fleechy, a nickname for a fawning person, in quot. of the fox. Also in n.Eng. dial.(1) Sc. 1776 Dedic. to Ramsay Proverbs 6:
Leal verity to keep me frae being thought a fleecher.Ags. 1818 W. Gardiner Poems 39:
Fleechers fletherin', Critics bletherin'.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie's Wallet viii.:
The inky-coated paidlin' preacher, The auld grave-digger, pawky fleecher.(2) Ags. 1873 D. M. Ogilvy Poems 128:
There's a Lord o' the Barony bends the knee, There's a fule thing ta'en up wi' his fleecherie.(3) Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems 66:
Which Dragon, Lord chief Treasurer, must pay To sly-tongu'd Fleechy on a certain Day.

†II. n. A piece of flattery, cajolery.Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 105:
Fair fall you, and that's a Fleech. An ironical Commendation of them, whose Words and Actions we approve not.Lnk. 1840 in Poets and Poetry Scot. (ed. Wilson) 385:
The bridegroom, muckle press'd to dance, A' fleech and praise rejecket.