Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DOACH, Doagh, Dough, n. [do:x]

1. In pl.: the name given to a rocky stretch of the river Dee at Tongland (Kcb.⁹, Kcb.¹⁰ 1940).Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 174:
Doachs o' Tongue-land water, the waterfalls of the Dee.Kcb. 1895 S. R. Crockett Moss-Hags xxvi.:
So I came down the west side of the Water of Ken, by the doachs or roaring linn, where the salmon sulk and leap.Kcb. 1926 J. Robison Kirkcudbright 5:
The hill slopes steeply to the south and east, where the Dee . . . enters the rocky gorge of the Doachs.

2. The name given to a salmon-trap or weir at this point (Sc. 1808 Jam.: Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 173, 1909 Colville 102).Kcb. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ XI. 10:
The number of salmon . . . caught in the doaghs or cruives in the upper, or Tungland fishery, is incredible.Kcb. 1845 Stat. Acc.² IV. 193:
Few of them pass Tongland from the doughs erected there.