Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
LONNACH, n., v. Also lonach, lonnack, and dim. form lonachie. [′lonəx]
I. n. 1. Couch grass, wrack, Triticum repens, usu. in pl., esp. when indicating heaps of the weed gathered for burning (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Kcd., Ags. 1961).Ags. 1795 Session Papers, Arbuthnott v. Scott (11 March) 164:
He was likewise employed in making the dike closer, and in putting lonnacks, wreck and other stuff into it.Kcd. 1813 G. Robertson Agric. Kcd. 376:
Couch grass (here called Lonachies) in several varieties is very apt to introduce itself.
2. A long piece of cord, twine or thread (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 108); a long rope, esp. one for leading a horse behind a cart (Mry. 1928). Hence lonacher, a led horse (Ib.).Bnff. 1891 W. Grant Anecdotes 107:
Another time Moore got an iron tether for tethering horses to proclaim at the church. He announced to the amusement of many — “Who's lost an iron horse lonach?!”
3. Fig.: a ragged, untidy piece of dress; a long rigmarole (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 108).
II. v. tr. and intr. with about, at, and often also with advs., aff, out: to talk at great length, to deliver a long discourse or recital, to hold forth, to unroll in speech (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 108). For a sim. development of meaning cf. Lingel, n.2
[Orig. uncertain. Phs. from an unrecorded deriv. of Gael. lon, a rope. Cf. Gael. lonainn, a cord, lonachan, a cord in a loom.]
