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 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FEERICH, n., v. Also feerach, feeroch, feiroch; ferrich. [′fi:rɪç]

I. n. 1. Ability, activity, energy (Upp. Cld. 1825 Jam., feeroch, feiroch; Bnff.², Abd.² 1942); an impulse. Adj. ferrichie, robust, strong (Upp. Cld. 1825 Jam.).Abd. 1903 Abd. Wkly. Free Press (28 Feb.):
Their fader wis aye a peer dowie breet, an' th' midder hidna muckle feerich at wark.Abd. 1928 J. Baxter A' Ae 'Oo' 20:
Swift the oor o' feerich passes.Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 88:
Twa feerichs focht in his breist; he cudna think o baith thegither, nor follae ain wioot the tither.

2. A state of agitation or excitement (Cai. 1907 D. B. Nicolson in County of Cai. 71, feerach; Bnff.⁹, Abd.²⁷ 1951) or of rage (Per. 1808 Jam.; Cai. 1907 Nicolson); a bustle, a fuss; a panic (Cai.⁸ 1934; Mry.² 1939; Abd.²⁷ 1951). Hence deriv. or reduplic. forms feerach-farroch (Abd.⁸ 1917), feerochie-farrochie (Ags.¹⁸ 1948), bustle, confusion, feerochrie, rage (Per. 1825 Jam.).Abd. a.1880 W. Robbie Yonderton (1929) 124:
Weel, railly, it happen't so suddent, an' I wiz jist in siccan a feerich 'at it never occurr't t' ma t' sen' word t' you.Bnff. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 24:
I'd Mistress M'Snash in, Tyesday'll be aucht days, in an aafa feerich aboot the expense o' byeuks.Abd. 1926 Abd. Univ. Review (July) 225:
Bit A some doot 'at the fussy kin' o' folk lang back war in a sad feeroch wi' fat ye ca' their simple joys.

II. v. To bustle; to be agitated; to fumble through excitement. Esp. in vbl.n. and ppl.adj. feerichin (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Cai. 1907 D. B. Nicolson in County of Cai. 71; Abd.¹⁵ 1950).Abd. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 83:
Ben I gid feerichin, an' syne I begood Te shiel them intill their lowin bed.