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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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

DROCHT, DRUCHT, n. and v. Also drouc(g)ht. Cf. Drouth. [droxt Cai., Mry.; drʌxt ne.Sc.; druxt Kcb.]

1. n. Sc. forms of Eng. drought, often in n.Sc. used of drying, breezy weather. For phr. a dreepin' droucht, see Dreep, v., 5.Sh. 1916 J. J. H. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr Aagust 14:
If ye maa girss wi da weet, ye loss naen o da droucght.n.Sc. 1891 A. Gordon Carglen 233:
The absolute need . . . for a “speecial visitation in thae times o' sair drocht and perplexity.”Cai. 1929 Cai. Forum in John o' Groat Jnl. (18 Oct.):
Och, heyt an' drocht, fat else? 'E greatest rain oor cam', there aye cam' drocht 'at dried id.Mry. 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. 49:
If it's gyan tae be drocht it'll be drocht.

Hence dr(o)uchty, dry (Bnff.², Abd.², Abd.⁹ 1940).Abd. 1912 J. Stephen Donside Lilts 75:
Bit lo, the druchty days are past, Ilk day it's pourin' rain.

2. v. To suffer from drought. Ppl.adj. dr(o)uchtit, parched (Bnff.², Abd.⁹, Kcb.¹⁰ 1940; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Abd. 1923 R. L. Cassie Heid or Hert xiv.:
The reid cheekit lassie, wi' her basketfu' o' baps, scones, an' pig o' ale. Sic a slockin' an' hertenin' burnie ran doon wir drouchtit throats!Abd. 1949 Buchan Observer (4 Oct.):
Buchan . . . is said neither to “drucht nor droon.”