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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Souch, Seuch(e, n.² Also: souche, soucht, schowch, shouch, swch, sewch(e, seugh, sewghe, siuch, seucht, seuk, seute. [North. ME sogh, sohw (Cursor M.), late ME and e.m.E. sough(e (c1440), ? f. OE sulh a plough; the amount of land capable of being cultivated with one plough, L. sulcus a furrow, trench, ditch.] 1. a. A furrow. b. A narrow trench or ditch forming or indicating a boundary. c. A drainage ditch. d. A ditch intended to serve as a fortification. e. A trench or pit dug in connection with a gallows (? for placing the ladder in).a. 1513 Doug. ix vii 147.
Lyke as the purpour flour in fur or sewch, Hys stalk in two smyt newly with the pleuchb. 1539 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 208.
Our common on the northt sid of the Peel Souch(b) 1513 Doug. v xii 168.
Eneas with a pleuch The cite circulit, and merkit be a seuch(c) 1521–2 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 63.
That everilk man mak his hedrowme … with ane seucht and dikit abone(d) 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Æn. i 425.
Concludere sulco: (makeing the boundis of the hous with ane siuch)(e) 1571 Peebles B. Rec. I 326.
The Vanelaw to be proclamit waist, seute, and hanyngc. 1561–2 Edinb. Old Acc. I 369.
For casting of ane souche and redding of the ground to the esings of the Eister milne(b) 1658–59 Dumbarton Common Gd. Acc. 237.
To John Browne for redding the schowch of the Smyt Vennall to let aff the water(c) a1570-86 Maitl. F. 359/94.
Suppois yow raynge, ouir all the grange And seik baythe syk and swch(d) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Matth. xv 14.
Gif a blindman leid a blindman, bathe falle dovn into the seuche [W., P. diche] 1533 Boece 376.
Sum parte … fled … oure brayis, clyntis, craggis, sewchis or bygatis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1509 (B).
Think … not on into the sewch, Besyd the quarrell hoillis 1566-70 Buch. Comm. on Virgil Georgics i 269.
To mak seuchis to draw away the watter that standis in the land 1591 Edinb. D. Guild Acc. 435.
For casting off ane seuch without the said ȝaird dyk for making ane passage for discens of the fylth & wald frome the ȝaird 1609 Glasgow B. Rec. I 307.
Quhill ane seuch be cassin quhairby the wattir … may haif passage 1621 Acts IV 632/2. 1637 Laing Chart. No. 2221.
Betwix … the goat or seuche on the west syd … the hiegait and fur or seuche or gote on the north side [etc.] 1670 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 75 (30 May).
Ane deep sewghe … which carried the water … doune to the mylve water gaite 1683 Melrose R. Rec. III 9.
John Uschar … houked ane seugh … doune allongs to the burne(e) 1671 Dunferm. Coal. Acc. 3b.
Spent when the prouest & chalmerland marked doun the new seukd. 1518 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 47.
All man to mak his hedrowme wyth gret soucht undyr and a dik abone, owder wyth stane and morter(b) 1569-73 Bann. Memor. 112.
The captane had workmen labouring about the castle, and casting of ane sewche, and pairing away the greine grasse and making all thingis smwthe and sliddrie from clymming of the wallis 1596 Dalr. II 4/35, 5/1.
He causis to be maid in the erde seuchis of a meruellous deipnes, to trayne the ennimie the way thay war to cum and to couer the seuchis with greine turffe that the place war nocht perceyuet 1596 Dalr. II 429/12.
The Frenchemen … flie to thair strenth and to that treinch, that seuch [L. fossa] and strang munitione how suiftlie tha can fortifiee. 1573–4 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. VII 70.
To tua men for castein of ane seucht to the gallous

2. A pit, gulf, abyss. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1316.
Ane terribill sewch … All full of brintstane, pick and bulling leid 1513 Doug. viii iv 134.
Fors of thundyr, or erdquake with a clap, Ryvys vp a terribill sewch or grisly gap [L. immane barathrum], Oppynnand the hellis mansioun

3. A narrow ravine. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 100.
The said erle slipit ower ane souch, and tomblit doun the same 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 164.
Riding down the narrow shouch of Corbet Bray