Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
BOCHTY, n. “The first fork of a tree from the ground” (Ags. 1914 T.S.D.C. I.). [′bɔxtɪ̢]
[Boch + intrusive t (common in O.Sc.) + -y, dim. suff. Prob. of same origin as O.Sc. bowcht, a bough, c.1470, a variant of Beuch (see D.O.S.T.), which derives from O.E. bōg, bōh, a shoulder, arm, bough. For the irreg. o vowel in Bochty, cf. Mid.Eng. bogh (13th–16th cent.), boghe (boght) (14th cent.), see N.E.D. s.v. bough. See also Bouch, n.2, and Bought, n.1 and v.]
