Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
Hide Quotations Hide Etymology
About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1825-1851, 1927
[0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0]
RATCH, v.2, n.3 Also wratch.
I. v. To damage by rough usage, to tear, lacerate, scratch (Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Sc. 1887 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; s.Sc. 1967); to fatigue oneself, to overstrain by any kind of exertion (Slk. 1825 Jam.). Ppl.adj. ratch, -ed, damaged by rough usage, ruinous, ragged, worn (Bwk., Rxb. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); fig. of persons: “having the appearance of one who has lived a dissipated life” (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XI. 149, ratch't(-like), Rxb. 1967).Rxb. 1825 Jam.:
The jaw is said to be ratch'd when injured in the pulling of a tooth.Rxb. 1851 in R. Murray Hawick Songs (1897) 47:
Ye're sides are ratchet an I'm gey ill.Rxb. 1927 E. C. Smith Braid Haaick 18:
This moniment's geetin gey sair ratcht — they soodna let thum skart names on't. Puir wretch; eis weerin awfih ratcht shuin: gie um thir yins. Ther hoose's geetin ratcht wui ill-usage.
II. n. A scratch, a line (Sc. 1887 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; sm.Sc. 1967).
[Prob. chiefly imit. or looked on as a conflation of Rat, n.2, v.1 and scratch. Cf. Ger. ratschen, ratzen, to scratch, scrape.]
