Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

BOORACH, BOURACH, Boorock, Bourack, Burrach, Booruch v., tr. and intr. [′bu:rəx, ′bʌrəx]

1. tr.

(1) “To heap up, mass profusely” (Ags.¹ 1935).em.Sc. 1913 J. Black Gloamin' Glints 14:
The peats were bouracked 'tween the jambs Wat, draiglet claes to dry.Edb. 1915 T. W. Paterson Auld Saws 53:
The're glints o' sun, an' blythesome sangs o' birds, An' whiles the dyke-side boorockit wi' floo'ers.

(2) With round: to enclose, surround.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 59:
Near to some dwelling she began to draw, That was a' burrach'd round about wi trees.

2. intr. “To crowd together” (Bnff.² 1935).Abd. 1904 W. A. G. Farquhar Fyvie Lintie 39:
But noo, “A fecht!” rings through the air; 'Tis heard abeen the din, man; Fouk boorach roun' the sprawlin' pair To see wha's like to win, man.Hdg. 1801 R. Gall Poems, etc. (1819) 36:
Sae out they bourach'd in a thrang, But fand they had na far to gang.

3. With aroun, intae, to hunt around.wm.Sc. 1988 Scotsman (16 Apr.) 5:
My friend, artist Dod McIntosh, who illustrated who of my books, started bouraching around and came up with a Rolls-Royce kind of chair, which we could have for a week.Arg. 1995:
A booruched intae it. [a rubbish bag to find a discarded receipt]Highl. 2005:
I've been booraching about looking for a pen.