Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

LOORACH, n. Also leurich, lur(r)ach; †lural (Mry., Bnff. 1919 T.S.D.C.). A tattered piece of cloth, a strip of rag, an untidy bit of rope or string, a trailing garment, anything of the kind untidy or messy (Inv., ne.Sc. 1961); a much worn coat (Abd. 1919 T.S.D.C., Abd. 1961); an ungainly, gangling or untidy person, a sloven, trollop (Mry.¹ 1928; Inv., ne.Sc., Per. 1961); in pl. rags (Mry. 1911 Trans. Banffshire Field Club 109). It is uncertain whether the 1825 quot. belongs here. [′lu:rəx]Abd. 1825 Jam., s.v. Cuttumrung:
A cuttumrung aneth her tail, a stramlach and a leurich.Mry.¹ 1928:
There's a loorach hinging at your goun.

Adj. loorachie, lourichy, in a poor state, e.g. of health, ailing, tottery, of a person or animal (Per. 1961);  dirty, dishevelled.Abd. 1990 Stanley Robertson Fish-Hooses (1992) 173:
Her clothes became very ragged and lourichy and she never seemed tae get onything frae him but dog's abuse.