Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1721-1728, 1782-1998
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WAUCHT, v., n. Also waught, wacht; wauch, waugh. [wɑxt, wǫxt; wǫx]
I. v. tr. and absol. To quaff, drink deeply, take large draughts (of) (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Fif. 1973), freq. with advs. out, ower, up. Also fig. to inhale, drink in (air).Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 91:
How hearty went these Healths about! How blythly were they waughted out!Peb. 1805 J. Nicol Poems I. 149:
Whar the Hempies reel'd in swarms, An' waughtit owre the whiskie.Slk. 1831 Hogg Poems (1874) 361:
The raven's grown hoarse wi' the waughtin' o' blood.Sc. 1841 D. Vedder Poems 78:
But now he's a dyvor, wi' birling and wauchin'.Kcd. 1849 W. Jamie Stray Effusions 27:
Packman billies waught their ale.Fif. 1853 J. Pringle Poems 101:
Deep may he waucht the inspiration O' the muse's hallow'd spring.Sc. 1896 J. Kerr Golf-Bk. E. Lth. 499:
It's health to rove owre Gullane Hill, An' waucht o' virgin air your fill.
II. n. 1. A draught of liquid, a long pull, swig or gulp of any drink (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 274; Ayr., Dmf. 1950; ne., em.Sc.(a), wm.Sc. 1973). Also fig.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 113:
Thirsting for Fame, at the Pierian Spring The Poet takes a Waught.Sc. a.1783 King Henry in Child Ballads No. 32 xiv.:
She drank it a' up at a waught.Ayr. 1788 Burns Auld Lang Syne v.:
And we'll tak a right gude-willie waught, For auld lang syne.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality iv.:
Gie them a waught o' drink and a bannock.Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck xv.:
Davie brought me a hale bowie-fu' o' milk. 'Tak a gude waught, goodman,' quo' he.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 79:
A waucht o' pure water for me.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 67:
Wi' the snuff-box i' me left hand, and me right ready tae tak' the ither wauch.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xix.:
I had a good wauch of milk in by Ratho.Slg. 1898 J. M. Slimmon Dead Planet 32:
A waucht to him that tapped the rock And gar't you trintle!Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 401:
He lay doon afore the wal an took a gude waucht o't.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 13:
A waucht o waeter.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick vii.:
He weesh doon fat he wis ettin wi great wachts o' the clairet.
2. Transf. A deep breath of air, a full inhalation (Abd. 1973). Hence in Ayr. quot. used in a nonce sense of a draught, a breeze.Sc. 1838 Whistle-Binkie 39:
I'm sure 'twill do us meikle gude — a waucht o' cauler air.Ayr. 1900 J. Veitch G. D. Brown (1952) 145:
To lie a' nicht i' the windy waucht, And the clear, cauld, mornin' rain!Gall. 1900 R. J. Muir Muncraig 5:
The child did breathe waughts of salt air from the Forth.m.Sc. 1917 J. Buchan Poems 64:
We'll drink great wauchts o' the scented nicht.Abd. 1928 N. Shepherd Quarry Wood xvii.:
I wad jist like to howk a holie i' the earth an' get a waucht o' it.Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 62:
Syne, he'd aye tak fower strides frae the door ben the lobby inno the parlour an send a cauld waucht o air innower, faniver he opened the door, garrin the flames lowp abeen the clags o dross an bankit peat.
