Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SCREICH, n. Also screigh, skreigh; screachan, screechan, screighin, screechim (Sh.). A slang or cant name for whisky (Sh. 1969). [′skriç(ən)]Rnf. 1813 E. Picken Poems I. 153:
Ay the tither blaw o' Skreigh, To fleg awa' the cauld.Per. 1821 T. Atkinson Three Nights 45, 51:
He seemed to have every old Scotch rant and reel, locked up in his fiddle, always improving in vivacity as the number of his skreigh potations increased. . . . Gudeman, whar's the skreigh flask?wm.Sc. 1837 Laird of Logan 204, 216:
I see you're driving awa at the screich. . . . In the mean time, let's hae some mair screigh.Dmf. 1894 R. Reid Poems 213:
And in the caup there is a drap; (A wee drap screigh, it seem'd tae me).Sh. 1923 T. Manson Lerwick 110:
The friends of a Mr. F. had brought “a air o' screighin'” with them, as in friendship and duty bound.Sh. 1963 New Shetlander No. 67. 8:
Dey wir aal menner o screechim, fae Johnnie Walker ta kinds we gret lang foreign names.
