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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.

WRICHT, n., v. Also ne.Sc. vricht, vright. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. wright. [(w)rɪçt; ne.Sc. vrɪçt; s.Sc. rɛɪ(ç)t]

I. n. A woodwright, a carpenter (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 198, 1808 Jam.; Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; Rxb. 1942 Zai). Gen.Sc. Obs. in Eng. since 15th c. exc. dial. and in combs. as cart-, mill-, ship-, wheel-wright, themselves obsol. Also attrib.Sc. 1703 Fountainhall Decisions II. 188:
The mutual declarator, raised by David Grant wright in Edinburgh, and Daniel Simpson writer to the signet.Gsw. 1712 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (B.R.S.) 471:
They should elect and choise a wright to be touns wright.Sc. c.1730 E. Burt Letters (1815) I. 104:
I sent one day for a wright (they have no such distinction as joiner).Bnff. 1784 A. Wight Present State Husbandry IV. 71:
There is house-room for every thing that can be wanted in a farm: he even has a wright's shop.Ayr. 1789 Burns Letters (Ferguson) No. 347:
A parcel of masons, wrights, plaisterers.Sc. 1829 Carlyle Misc. Essays (1874) II. 85:
The millwright, or cartwright, or any other wright whatever.s.Sc. 1857 H. S. Riddell St Matthew xiii. 55:
Isna this the wricht's son? isna his mither ca't Mary?Ags. 1888 Barrie Auld Licht Idylls ii.:
Tammy Mealmaker the wright, pronounced wir-icht.Sth. 1896 in C. D. Bentinck Dornoch (1926) 278:
The various ‘Brethren Balls' were great social functions in Dornoch. Old residenters inform me that the ‘Vrichts' Ball was always considered the best.Abd. 1922 Banffshire Jnl. (25 April) 8:
There was Meerison's vricht-shop.ne.Sc. 1969 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 118:
Originals o' whilk His trade o' vricht had gi'en him access to.

Special combs.: (1) cabinet-wright, a cabinet-maker; (2) house-wright, a house-carpenter. Rare and obs. in Eng.: (3) square-wright, see Square, n.; (4) wright's black-coal, a kind of graphite used as a pencil by woodworkers; (5) wricht-work, carpentry, joiner-work.(1) Fif. 1869 St Andrews Gaz. (16 Jan.):
John Ayton, a cabinet-wright.(2) Ayr. 1767 Ayr Presb. Reg. MS. (8 Dec.):
John McClymont house wright in Straiton.(4) Fif. 1845 Stat. Acc.² IX. 522:
There is at Baltullo mill, near Ceres, a seam of the “wright's black coal,” which is used for marking.(5) Gsw. 1712 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (B.R.S.) 472:
No other be imployed in the touns wright work.Sc. 1758 Session Papers, Allison v. Affleck (19 Dec.) 1:
He has often wrought Wright-work in the House of Whitepark.Ayr. 1767 Ayr Presb. Reg. MS. (8 Dec.):
The wright work and windows of the Manse.

II. v. To follow the occupation of a wright, to work in wood as a carpenter or joiner (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 204; Abd., Ags. 1974), gen. in vbl.n. vrichtan, -in, wrightin, joiner-work, carpentry (Id.). Also attrib. Also in Eng. dial.Bnff. 1876 S. Smiles Sc. Naturalist 168:
Far did ye learn the wrightin', the paintin', and the glazin'?Abd. 1920 A. Robb. MS. ix.:
I grew fell handy at the wrichtin ere lang gaed.Abd. 1966 Huntly Express (17 June) 2:
Harl a hoose, or p'int a bit wa' or ony vrichtin' jobbie.