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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SWATCH, n., v.¹ Also †swatcht (Sc. 1702 Records Cloth Manuf. (S.H.S.) 300), swaatch. [swatʃ]

I. n. 1. A pattern or sample, esp. of a piece of cloth, a specimen (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 161, 1808 Jam.; Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein). Gen.Sc. Also fig. Orig. from n.Eng. dial. and now in gen. clothing trade usage.Sc. 1701 Records Sc. Cloth Manuf. (S.H.S.) 242:
The unequallness of the collours of the heriotts work cloath not being exactly conforme to the suatch sent out to him.Sc. 1715 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (1908) 537:
To send to her Highness a swatch of plaids as the manufactory peculiar only to this place for keeping the place in her Highness remembrance.Sc. 1743 Laing MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm. 1925) II. 273:
I beg you may choose the camlet as near the swatch as possible.Kcd. 1820 E. Tevendale Poems 23:
For Joseph's coat he wore langsyne, Was only but a swatch o't.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin xxviii.:
I rowed up aboot a score o' clippins in a cloot for swatches.m.Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick vii.:
I ken the stuff by the swatch.Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 328:
The Packmen disna cairry packs noo, only swatches.Ayr. 1901 G. Douglas Green Shutters xi.:
Why shouldn't they carry swatches of cloth as well as groceries?Sh. 1916 J. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr (Jooly 1):
Da peerier da swaatch, da mair risk wi da waelin.Abd. 1928 P. Grey Making of a King 6:
Ye'll mind an' bring a swatch o' yer wallpaper wi' ye.Bnff. 1935 Abd. Press & Jnl. (17 Jan.):
Naebody kens o' fat wab he's a swatch.

2. In extended uses: a typical piece, example, selection, group, etc.Sc. 1705 Stone upon Grave of Prelacy 8:
Now I shall give a swatch of his Self-contradictions.Sc. 1730 T. Boston Memoirs (1855) 435:
I record this for a swatch of the hospitality of the parish.Ayr. 1785 Burns Holy Fair x.:
On this hand sits a chosen swatch, Wi screw'd up grace-proud faces.m.Lth. 1844 J. Ballantine Miller 243:
Gie me a swatch o' what's wrang.Ags. 1847 Montrose Standard (13 Aug.) 3:
I ken'd a swatch o' sinfu' clay Wha halflins gap'd to curse the day That e'er his honest mither bore 'im.Dmf. 1874 R. Reid Moorland Rhymes 11:
That's but a swatch o' the plaiks that they play.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 103:
Thee evil hert is bit a swatch An' clippin' o' the Trow.Abd. 1921 Swatches o' Hamespun 8:
As a swatch o' some o' the jobbies they socht him tae dee.m.Sc. 1927 J. Buchan Witch Wood xvii.:
She's had mony a swatch o' the Gospel frae honest Mr. James.wm.Sc. 1948 Scots Mag. (June) 212:
Suppling his fingers with a swatch of marching airs.Mry. 1960 E. Gilbert Ae Forenicht 3:
We'd an antrin swatch o' singing.

3. The extent to which one person or thing resembles another, a point of similarity, a feature in common (Sh., Per. 1972).m.Lth. 1715 J. Monro Letters (1722) 104:
A Swatch of the exact Likeness between the Two.Per. 1950:
I thocht there was a guid swatch o his faither aboot him.

4. An example or pattern to be followed, a model. Phr. to tak a swatch frae, to follow the example of, to imitate.Ags. 1879 G. W. Donald Poems 15:
Oh! wad they tak a swatch frae me, An' craig a social cup o' tea.

5. Kind, sort; stock, progeny.Ayr. 1790 A. Tait Poems 186:
Wild geese and swan, ye'll see them pair And show their swatch.Rnf. 1827 W. Taylor Poems 107:
On Sabbath last, twa chaps rode by, They ware o' the dandy swatch.

6. A feature or trait of character.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
An ill swatch of him, a bad mark of one's character.

7. A glimpse, partial view or vista, a half-look (Per., Slg., Lnk., Ayr. 1972). Also dim. swatchy.Fif. 1862 St Andrews Gaz. (25 July):
A' the neebor wives keekin' oot to hae a swatch ana'.Arg. 1896 N. Munro Lost Pibroch (1935) 32:
The road opened before him in short swatches — the sort of road a wanderer likes, with not too much of it to be seen at one look.Per.⁴ 1950:
A juist got a swatch o him as he gaed by the end o the close.Lnk. 1958 J. G. Wilson Trial of P. Manuel 65:
He was unable to give a fuller description of them [finger-rings], as he “only got a brief swatch at them.”Gsw. 1987 Peter Mason C'mon Geeze Yer Patter! 65:
Gauny geeza swatchy at yer paper, pal? May I have a look at your newspaper? Edb. 1991:
I want to get a swatch at Jonathon's new childminder. Gsw. 1992 Jeff Torrington Swing Hammer Swing! (1993) 67:
Sitting by the cheery fire in my rent-free slum, eating a piece'n jam and slurping down a mug of coffee, I'd a wee swatch at The Beano, just to see how my old chums were faring in their timeless world of chortles, japes and tee-hees. Gsw. 1995 Alan Spence Stone Garden (1997) 132:
I passed it over to Doug. 'Have a swatch at that,' I said. 'It's great stuff.' m.Sc. 1998 Alex Laird in Donny O'Rourke and Kathleen Jamie New Writing Scotland 16: The Glory Signs 73:
Hiv a swatch it this batch:
He flicked a wheen sheets o paper
Doon on the table top. Gsw. 1999 Jimmy Boyle Hero of the Underworld 42:
'When are you seeing her again, so I can get a swatch at her?'

8. A short spell, a turn, a “shot,” a temporary loan or use (of an object) (Slg., Gsw. 1972).Gsw. 1968:
See's a swatch wi the leerie, i.e. shine the light (of a torch, etc.) over here.

9. Phr.: to hae or tak (a or the) swatch o or at, (1) to take an appraising critical look at, scrutinise (Per. 1972); (2) to take the measure of, to size up, to be a match for, and hence to thwart or frustrate (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 187, Bnff. 1972); (3) to express strong negation or refusal in quasi-imprecative use (see quot.) (Ib.).(1) Per. 1881 R. Ford Hum. Sc. Readings 42:
After takin' a guid swatch o' a' the windows.Ags. 1892 A. Reid Howetoon vi.:
Takin' a swatch o' a'-thing as he gaed alang.Edb. 1895 J. Tweeddale Moff 191:
I made tracks for the lobby tae tak' swatch o' the nags.Inv. 1969 E. K. Macnicol Hallowe'en Hero 10:
We are just taking a swatch at An Craggoch's barley.(2) Abd. 1949:
I hid the swatch o 'im, as the deil hid o the nags.(3) Abd. 1930:
I'll tak a swatch o ye — I'll see you damned first.

II. v. 1. To match, to select, make, copy, or supply after a pattern, to imitate.Ags. 1853 W. Blair Aberbrothock 50:
Barney Wudd, the Irish Chapman, fa swatcht watches, an' a' kin-kind o' things.Lnk. 1859 J. Parker Poems 37:
The workman, too, whose ready ken Does the embossment ply To swatch and match at every stem.Sc. 1880 Jam.:
To swatch worsted, to select or supply worsted of a given shade and quality.Lnk. 1893 J. Crawford Verses 48:
Dinna swatch the sheep-shankit, purse-prood, han'less loon.

2. To look appraisingly at, to size up (Per., Fif. 1972).Edb. 1866 J. Inglis Poems 75:
Are ye no swatching Jamie for a son-in-law?wm.Sc. 1974 Roddy McMillan The Bevellers 16:
Ther' a hole in the gless, an' if ye judge it right ye can see the Greek clock. NORRIE: Gaun tae let us swatch it? JOE: Sure. Just pit your eye up there. Gsw. 1999 Jimmy Boyle Hero of the Underworld 26:
Both of them swatched down at my soiled pants shaking their heads in disbelief.