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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CARRITCH, CARITCH, Caridge, Carrich, Carriage, Caracher, n. and v. Also carrage (Mry. 1898 J. Slater Seaside Idylls 94). [′kɑrɪtʃ, ′kɑrɪdʒ, ′kɑrətʃər]

1. n. Sc. equivalents of Eng. catechism, which in Scotland contains in the form of question and answer the religious principles set forth in the Larger (Longer) and Shorter Catechisms by the Westminster Assembly of Divines.

(1) Lit. Often in pl. and sometimes in phrases and combs.: double carritch, the Larger Catechism; mither's caridge, Mother's Carritch, a simplified form of the Shorter Catechism, compiled by the Rev. J. Willison (1680–1750), but not now in gen. use; pair o' carriches, the Shorter Catechism; single carritch, idem. Known to Abd. and Ags. correspondents, Fif.¹, Slg.³, Kcb.¹ 1938.Sc. 1761 Mem. Magopico (1791) 5–6:
A blind woman, who kept a school in the next village, . . . taught him the A, B, C, and the Mother's Carritch, and the Proverbs.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xvi.:
And I can say the single carritch, and the double carritch, and justification, and effectual calling.Ork. 1908 J. T. S. Leask in Old-Lore Misc., Ork., Sh., etc. I. viii. 325:
On Sunday Tam gaed tae da skeul an' da shorter catechism bean ower far advanced for 'im he waas pittan intae the mither's caridge, an' waas spiered whit he was made o'.Ork.¹ 1920:
Can thu say thee Carritch?L.Bnff.(D) 1934 J. M. Caie Kindly North 9:
They scunnert at the carritches, they wadna coont ava Though lickit aft, an' sometimes keepit in.Ags. 1819 A. Balfour Campbell I. xviii.:
Fient ane o' them's ha'en a pair o' carriches i' their hand, sin that unchancy day that ye left it.Ags.(D) 1922 J. B. Salmond Bawbee Bowden vi.:
That's the first questin i' the carachers, an' it may be richt, nae doot.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie III. xxxiii.:
The heads of the commonality are, in my opinion, not of a capacity to take in muckle mair than the plain truths o' Scripture and the Mothers' Carritches.Rxb. 1833 Mrs Hall Sc. Borderer (1874) 24:
Little urchins of both sexes; some of them poring over their caritches, or proverbs.

(2) Fig. in phr.: gie (a person his) carritch, — carriage, to reprove, to scold.Sc. 1769 D. Herd Sc. Songs (1776) II. 219:
I wish I had been laid i' my grave When I got her to marriage! For, the very first night the strife began, And she gae me my carriage.Ags. 1825 Jam.²:
I gae him his carritch; I reprehended him with severity.

2. v. To catechize.Per. 1835 R. Nicoll Poems (1843) 83:
The minister himsel' Cam' duly carritchin' the bairns.