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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CLOCHER, CLOUGHER, n. and v.¹ Gen.Sc. [′klɔxər]

1. n.

(1) Sometimes in pl.: “mucous matter which is coughed out of the throat; thick phlegm” (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 137; Rs., Mry., Bnff. 1980s; Edb., Ayr. 2000s); bronchial mucus (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 26).Gall. 1901 Trotter Gall. Gossip 3:
A'm fit tae be chokit wi' the clocher an' the floam!

(2) “A rough or wheezing cough” (Mry. 1928 W. Clarke W.-L.).Sc. 1936 J. G. Horne Flooer o' the Ling 16:
Guid save the cuif that gets her tocher! He'll need it a' to staun' her clocher.Cai.⁹ 1938:
There's a sair clocher wi' ye.Ags. 1893 Arbroath Guide (15 April) 3/7:
Ye'll just be plagued again wi' yon clocher o' a host.Lnk. 1928 H. Lauder Roamin' in the Gloamin' i.:
Stagger up the gangway with “mony a cough an' clocher.”Slk. 1839 in Lord Cockburn Journal (1874) I. 244:
Ye may gang to their kirk the haill year round without hearing either a clocher or a hoast.Tyr. 1931 “Clone” in North. Whig (17 Dec.) 10/6:
She had had a brash, and still had a clougher and was doncey.

2. v. “To cough frequently, with a large defluxion of phlegm, and copious expectoration” (Sc. 1825 Jam.²); “to have a hard, dry, irritating cough” (Cai.⁹ 1938). Ppl.adj. clochrin'.Cai. 1930 “Caithness Forum” in John o' Groat Jnl. (31 Jan.):
If hid wisna ‘at A wis clocherin' wi' 'e cauld A wid gien til 'e Reay concert.Abd. 1921 W. Walker W.-L.:
He's aye clocherin' an' beochin there.Abd. 1995 Flora Garry Collected Poems 13:
He bocht aal wizzent horse an kye
An scrimpit muck an seed;
Syne, clocherin wi a craichly hoast,
He dwine't awaa, an dee'd. Ags. 1999 Courier 20 Jan :
"A lady, describing an irritating cough, said she had a 'nesty tickly clocherin' hoast' and after a sleepless night said she had 'rowled an' tum'led an' better tum'led'."Fif. 1864 W.D. Latto Tammas Bodkin xxv.:
I hechle, an' clocher, an' toyt but an' ben, Like a puir feckless grandsire o' three score an' ten.Edb. 1843 J. Ballantine Gaberlunzie's Wallet (1875) ix.:
The bluid in your auld veins is thin . . . Close to the ribs ye hirsel in Wi' clochrin' whaizle.