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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WALLOCH, v.¹, n.¹, adv. Also wallach; ¶warroch. [′wɑləx]

I. v. 1. To make violent heavy movements, to move, esp. in water or mud, clumsily and with difficulty, to struggle, wallow, flounder about (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 463, warroch; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 206, wallach; Mry. 1921 T.S.D.C.; n.Sc. 1973). Also fig.Bnff. 1782 Caled. Mercury (14 Aug.):
Wielducs may walloch i' the fens.Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 499:
He warroch'd out, tho' haflins drown'd.Abd. 1832 A. Beattie Poeme 121:
No doubt had left you all to walloch, Alas, in your own fuil shalach.Per. 1904 R. Ford Hum. Sc. Stories 10:
Patie Blawart cam' wallochin' an' whauzlin' in the gate.Mry. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 80:
Nor fash aboot the ane [the old year] that's oot But lat it walloch grainin'.Abd. 1957 Sc. Poetry 2 106:
The stang o saut in wallochan watters.

2. To dance, skip, romp in a noisy manner.Bnff. 1847 A. Cumming Tales 4:
Happy lots o' merry pugs To walloch roun' — an' rug your lugs.Bnff. 1869 W. Knight Auld Yule 63:
Get up, ye jauds, and walloch. Now play a guid strathspey, my chiel.Bnff. 1879 Banffshire Jnl. (16 Sept.) 3:
The Tories needna come to Spey. An' Hughie needna hooch and walloch.

3. Fig. “To use many circumlocutions” (Ags. 1808 Jam., wallach).

II. n. 1. A struggle, the act of wallowing or of walking with difficulty (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 206; Mry. 1921 T.S.D.C.; Abd. 1973), a flouncing floundering movement; a to-do, bustle, uproar.Abd. 1839 A. Walker Deil at Baldarroch 8:
Comin' down, just by Baldarroch, He heard an unco din an' wallach.Bnff. 1930:
A puffie raise on wir lee boo, an' syne geed doon again wi a sudden walloch.

2. A Highland dance, the Highland Fling, q.v. (Sc. 1825 Jam.); “a noisy step, thump or fall” (Bnff. 1880 Jam.).Sc. 1791 The Bee (29 June) 284:
O she was a canty quean, And weel could dance the Highland walloch.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xl.:
Ye wusna dancin' the heilan' walloch the streen.

III. adv. With heavy labouring step or gait (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 206).