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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

STREETCH, v., n. Also streach (Sc. 1724 Treatise on Fallowing 55), streech (Sc. 1787 J. Elphinston Propriety II. 6; Abd. 1867 W. Anderson Rhymes 59; Rnf. a.1901 Poems Kilbarchan (Lyle 1929) I. 56; Uls. 1900 T. Given Poems 156), streich (Sc. 1724 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) III. 88), streitch (Sc. 1828 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 136; Mry. 1969 Northern Scot (15 Feb.) 4), streitch. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. stretch (Edb. 1798 D. Crawford Poems 41; Slk. 1875 Border Treasury (10 April) 422; Abd. 1916 G. Abel Wylins 82; Slg. 1929 W. D. Cocker Dandie 46; Lth., Ayr. 1923–26 Wilson, Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1942 Zai). Gen. (exc. I.) Sc. For other Sc. forms see Streek, v.¹, n.¹ [stritʃ]

I. v. 1. As in Eng. Hence streetcher, (1) the cross-bar which keeps apart the draught-chains between the trace- and cart-horses yoked in a team (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 367). Also in Eng. dial.; (2) a clothes-prop (Cai. 1900; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Gen. (exc. I.) Sc.; (3) a frame on which to stretch a shawl after washing (Sh. 1971).Ags. 1988 Raymond Vettese The Richt Noise 18:
An airm streetches oot. "Surrounded by history,"
he declares, syne yorples owre the mystery
o the past that's in us yet frae us apairt ... Dundee 1992 W. N. Herbert in Janice Galloway and Hamish Whyte New Writing Scotland 10: Pig Squealing 70:
But when they rolled onto the bank where the net was streitched, he didna dae a thing, he jist lay quiet in his boat and waited.Arg. 1998 Angus Martin The Song of the Quern 51:
He's streetched afore a greeshach
wi the pipe sleck in his mooth,
doverin in contentment
as the gale draws tae the sooth,(2) Slk. 1892 W. M. Adamson Betty Blether 29:
Twa ends o' a broken claes streetcher.Bnff. 1955 Banffshire Jnl. (24 May):
The stretchers holding up the clothes.(3) Sh. 1899 Shetland News (28 Oct.):
A len o' Bawby's stretcher ta stretch her haps.

2. To stretch the legs, to walk, stride out, to take exercise by walking or dancing. Also in n.Eng. dial.; to stalk or strut about in a haughty manner, used sarcastically (Slk. 1825 Jam.; Kcb. 1971). Obs. in Eng. exc. dial.Lnk. 1792 J. Knox Airdrie Bards (1930) 310:
They're keen to get a streetchen, An' dance that day.Fif. 1811 C. Gray Poems 75:
Whan he was young he aft gaed streachin' . Sax, aught, or ten miles to a preachin'.

3. To harrow land in the same direction as it was ploughed, to harrow along the furrows (Arg.¹ 1937).

4. To lay out (a corpse) for burial. Hence streetching-brod, -buird, the board on which this is done (s.Sc. 1825 Jam.; Kcb. 1971).Sc. 1834 G. R. Gleig Allan Breck III. vi.:
He took good care of his mother's streeching. He telt Effie that she might lay out the corpse if she liket.Sc. 1851 S. R. Whitehead Rose Douglas xxi.:
Tummas was often oot wi' the stretching-brod.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 124:
Brocht in on the police streetchin' buird.Arg. 1896 N. Munro Lost Pibroch 105:
There he was with the stretching-board under his arm — a good piece of larch rubbed smooth by sheet and shroud, and a little hollow worn at the head. Whom he was going to stretch he had no notion, except that it was a woman.

II. n. 1. As in Eng.: a stretch, extent; a continuous spell or “go” at some activity. Adv. strietchways, lengthwise, following the seam in a coal-mine. See Streek, n., 3.m.Lth. 1767 Session Papers, Earl of Abercorn v. Hope (14 July) 11:
They must only have left a common stoop, and have wrought strietch-ways.Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 6:
I swom across the loch at ae streetch.Sh. 1891 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 79:
A streetch o siller licht.Dmf. 1920 J. L. Waugh Heroes 25:
The “streetch o' guid fishin' watter.”Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 2:
The skleff, strecht streetch at the head o' the brae.m.Sc. 1933 J. Ressich Thir Braw Days 86:
Sic a graun' streitch o' shouthers.Lnk. 1997 Duncan Glen From Upland Man 6:
It's into the lang straucht streetch o the driveway
and roond by the byre, biler-hoose, open sties aside the hen run,

2. A straining or relaxation of the strict import of a statement, regulation, etc., a forced argument or claim. Rare and obs. in Eng.Sc. 1703 Acts Parl. Scot. XI. 105:
The said Laws have been lyable to streatches, . . . in respect of their generality and the various construction which the same may admit.Sc. 1704 J. Maidment Pasquils (1868) 382:
Thou furious reprobate pratling Whitelaw, Who with streatches and false claimes does bluster and blaw.Sc. 1722 R. Wodrow Sufferings iii. viii. s. 4:
The Probation is summed up with much Cunning and many Stretches.Sc. 1742 Kames Decisions (1799) 61:
A stretch beyond the common law.