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

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Kichin(g, Kitchin(g, n. Also: kichyne, -yng, -eing, c(h)ichin(g; kychin(g, -yne, -yin, -ein; kischin; kitchine, -ene, -ein(e, citchin; kytching, -yn; kitschine, kit(s)cheing; kytschin(e. [ME. kichene, -in, kyc(c)hen, -yne (western and southern kuchene), e.m.E. kitchen, -ing, OE. cycene. Cf. Kechin n.]

1. A kitchen. = Kechin n. 1.Also fig. in the wirmis kitching, the grave, see Kechin n. 1.(a) c1420 Wynt. viii. 1493.
All the cowrssys … Browcht fra the kychyn c1475 Wall. v. 1027.
In the kyching scudleris lang tyme had beyne 1488 Acta Aud. 126/i.
For … causing of James Ancrome, masoun, to … cast doun a kiching & a stane wall of a … tenement 1538 M. Works Acc. MS. V. 35.
Stanis & gutteris for seruing walter to the kichingis 1539 Ex. Processes (Reg. H.) No. 10.
Ane gret spete … for ane kicheing 1565 Prot. Bk. G. Grote (S.R.S.) 68.
Twa taverone burdis that standis in his kychein 1568 Buch. Indict. 44.
Evin beneth hir chalmer he wes placit in a hous joynit to the kiching 1599 M. Works Acc. (ed.) 321.
The court ciching 1603 Montgomery Mem. 248.
Gifin to the clark of the kiching 1627 Mun. Univ. Glasg. III. 529.
Ane chimney in the cichin 1640 Bk. Carlaverock. II. 502.
In the chichin … a peare of long raxes 1695 Foulis Acc. Bk. 185.
For plaistering Mr. L. Philiphaughs kichin(b) 1546–7 Reg. Privy S. III. 339/2.
To find caill, herbis and sellettis to oure soverane ladyis … tutouris kitching 1550 Breadalbane P. No. 73.
Elding to the hale, chalmer and kitcheine 1560 Rolland Seven S. Epil. 33.
Ga … in sum kitching turne the speit a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xxi. 9.
Now I heir na wourde of Ȝule, … Lordis lattis thair kitchingis cule, And drawis them to the abbay 1588 Argyll Lett. 86.
Alexander Meinȝeis, foirman in the kitching a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 1347.
Ther is a heat in our kitching, the cook is wirried on a wilk ?a1648 Polemo-Mid. 73.
Tumblentesque simul ricoso ex kitchine boyos 1663 Kirkcudbr. Min. Bk. 187.
In the kitchen, fourtein hounsell [sic] plaits(c) 1556 Melrose Reg. Rec. III. 218.
All our commoun office houses, as conventuale hall … kytschin, baik house [etc.] 1588 St. A. Kirk S. 628.
In the provestis kitschion 1598 Black Bk. Taymouth 332.
Off dressing knyffis in the kitscheing of Finlarg(d) c1450-2 Howlat 702 (B).
In craftis of the kischin

b. Allusively. = Kechin n. 1 b. 1558-66 Knox II. 417.
The effairis of the kytcheing wer so gryping, that the … stipends could nocht be payit 1572 Sat. P. xxxvi. 115.
Baith fals of kynd, and in the craft expert, And therby garis ȝour kitchingis daylie reik 1604-9 Grahame Anat. Hum. 19.
[Such men are] a help to furnish his house, to store his citchin, and still to lend him money 1670 Kircudbr. B. Rec. MS. 27 Apr.
The leavie money … [which] was imposed for the Kingis kitching in the yeire 1650 yeirs

2. Food from the kitchen. a. An allowance of kitchen-food (as meat, etc.) supplied or stored as one's provisions; provisions of kitchen-food (once applied also to meal). = Kechin n. 2 a.(1) a 1400 Bute MS. fol. 172.
Thai of the coste of Bretane ne aw bot anys kychyn on the day … and thai of Normandy sal hafe twa maner of kychyne qwhar for thai haf bot aa drynk c1575 Balfour Pract. 616.
Gif ony ship happinis to be at Burdeaulx, … the shipmen may bear furth … sic kitching as use of the ship is, viz. twa of the marineris may beir to schoar ane mes or ane half mes of meit that is cauld, with als meikle breid as he may gudelie eat at anis 1622-6 Bisset II. 256/9.]
[The marineris of Brytan aucht to have bot ane maill on ane day, … and they of Normandie aucht to have twa maillis of the kitching in the day, be resson they have bot wattir going at the schip coistis(2) 1567 G. Chalmers Mary Q. of Scots (1818) I. 178 (J).
Kiching to the violaris; Item ij quarteris of muttoun; ij powterie; with potagis, and fische a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1356.
Sche is not sa pure as she peips, sche hes a mouse to her winter kitching 1610 Sutherland Chart. 178.
Ten small peckis, and ane auchtod of meill for hir ouklie wittell and kitchein

b. Food, esp. cooked food, as meat, fish, also cheese, additional to a staple uncooked food such as bread, and serving as a relish to it; such food served as a meal. Also applied to butter and to milk and perh. anything else regarded as giving a relish to plain food. 1456 Hay I. 161/18.
A sely pure man … that can nocht ellis do bot sitt on the felde, … and ete a sely pece of brede but ony kychyn 1535 Stewart 2762.
Herbis grene and frutt … but other breid or aill, Without kitching or ony kynd of kaill 1567 Rep. Mar & Kellie MSS. 19.
For my Ladie Mar and hir servandis ane furnisit meas day takand thairto in Bred, vyn, aill and kiching [etc.] a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 606.
God keip us fra untymouse kitching 1680 Stitchill Baron Ct. 87.
[£3/6/8d] for a harvest fie … with 6 sh. as the pryce of 27 herring for supper kitchen 1689 Siege Castle Edinb. 79.
Old salt herrings for all kynd of kitchin

c. Kitchin meit, id. 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 6.
The Ordinar Expensis … , In bread of quheit łbis.; for kytchyn meat xxxv łlbis. 1596 Dalr. I. 91/27.
Thay wald leid a lang lyfe … , with a verie smal portione of kitschine meit, buttir, milke or cheis, mixed with meil a1598 Ferg. Prov. (1641) No. 298 (S.T.S.).
Hunger is good kitchine meat

3. Attrib. (in sense 1). a. With axe (ex), brace, chimnay (chimblay), dure, graith, loft, man, nuik, pott, sellar, sugar, table, tonge (= tongs), veshel, windok, yeard. 1622 Breadalbane Doc. MS. No. 428.
Of kiching ex j 1649 Antiq. Aberd. & B. IV. 781.
Ane kitching axe thirty shilling — 1690 Fraser P. 269.
The kitching brace for the Governor Ld. Neils owne duelling — 1490 Glasg. Univ. Mun. II. 256.
For the mendyng of the kychin chimnay 1653 Edinb. Test. LXVII. 143 b.
Ane hall chimblie … ane kitching chimblay with raxis — 1523 Treas. Acc. V. 220.
ij bandis to the kicheing dur 1611 M. Works Acc. IX. 6 b.
The mending of the loke of my lords ciching duir — 1622 Breadalbane Doc. MS. No. 428.
Kiching graith — 1572 Edinb. Test I. 237 b.
In the kitchene loft ane candill kist — 1529 M. Works Acc. I. 23 b.
New keis … to the Kingis kichynmen — a1605 Montg. Flyt. 108 (T).
I sall debar thé the kingis kitching nuik — 1666 Kirkcudbr. Sheriff Ct. Processes No. 8.
Four kitchen potts pryce of the peice £3 — 1571 Dumfries & Galloway Soc. XV. 339.
The stane verk of the freris contanand ane kichin sellar thervnder — 1681 Blackness Customs MS. 10 b.
Whit powder sugar reported to be muscovado sugar, kitchein sugar — 1685 Soc. Ant. LVIII. 365.
A kitchin table with a firme — 1656–8 Mun. Univ. Glasg. III. 503.
One kitcheing tonge to the principallis use — 1596 Dalr. I. 94/28.
Pottis, panis and vthir kitchine veshels — 1591 Crim. Trials I. ii. 254.
For causing cast … [a ‘picture’ of flour and clay] in att the said M^r Johnneis kiching windok — 1612 M. Works Acc. (ed.) 340.
Ane pannald … quhilke loukes to the kitching yeard

b. Kitchin Latin, = bad Latin, dog Latin. 1666-74 Fraser Polichron. 474.
I mind the old kitchin Latin, mitte hoc vadere sicut vadit nam vult vadere sicut vadit, modo hic sit bene, said the old monck in his cell