Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1794-1839, 1925
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†FOTCH, v., n. Also fo(a)ch, foutch. [fotʃ]
I. v. 1. tr. To shift, change the position of; specif. of changing horses in a plough; of turning scones on a girdle (Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 247, foach).Fif., Lth. 1808 Jam.:
It is said that farmers begin to fotch, when the day is so far lengthened that the plough is twice yoked in one day.Sc.(E) 1925 "H. M'Diarmid" Sangschaw 31:
A muckle bleeze o' cones An' mither fochin' scones.
Hence comb. fotch-pleugh, (1) a plough that is employed in two yokings a day (Lth. 1825 Jam.); (2) a plough used for killing weeds, as in the dressing of turnips; "also called a harrow plough" (Id.); (3) a plough with horses and oxen yoked together (Abd. Id.).
2. intr. To shift one's own position, to budge, stir, in phr. fotch nor flee.Abd. 1794 Sc. N. & Q. (2nd Ser.) VI. 183:
I cud neither fecht nor fen, Nor fotch nor flee.Abd. 1839 A. Walker De'il at Baldarroch 12:
Tho' it was cauld as cauld could be, Yet he could neither fotch nor flee.
3. To exchange, in gen.n.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
I'll foutch with you, I will make an exchange.
II. n. An exchange of one thing for another (Id.).
[A variant form of Fitch, v., n.1]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Fotch v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 20 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/fotch_v_n>
