Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
PILSH, n., v. Also pitch, pelsh; and dim. forms pil(s)(c)hach, pilsich, pulschach (Mry. 1921 T.S.D.C. 19), pilshock, pilcheck, palshac (Mry. 1911 Trans. Bnff. Field Club 109). [pɪlʃ]
I. n. 1. An ill-fitting, clumsy garment, an ugly, thick article of dress (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 125, pilshach; Mry. 1911 Trans. Bnff. Field Club 109; Mry., Bnff. 1965). Used fig. in phr. a toom pilsh, an empty shell, a delusion, hollow sham.Ags. 1897 Arbroath Guide (15 May) 3:
Feint a ane o' them will she buy. They're “oot o' season”, “toom pilshes”, or some ither equally mysterious fau't clings to them.
2. (1) a triangular piece of material, gen. flannel, bound over a baby's napkin to keep it in place (Mry. 1921 T.S.D.C., pilch, pilschach, pulschach). Gen.Sc., rare and dial. in Eng.; “a kind of petticoat open before, worn by infants” (Lth. 1825 Jam.).Abd. 1903 E.D.D.:
The “belly-band” is usually of cotton; the “pilch” is attached with three buttons, a triangular piece of cloth for keeping the rest clean.
(2) a piece of sacking or coarse material worn apron-wise to protect the thighs in peat-digging, a peltin-pyock (Sc. 1825 Jam., 1921 T.S.D.C., pilch). See Pelt.
3. A piece of dirty thick cloth, a rag (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 125).Abd. 1922 Swatches o' Hamespun 62:
She flang a cassen pilchach o' a shawlie ower her heed.Bnff. 1941:
Some fool pilshachs like the duds o' a tinkler's washin.
4. A gross, thick-set man; a boorish worthless reprobate, a low character (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Abd. 1903 E.D.D., pilshock; ne.Sc. 1965); “a short fat untidy person” (Ags. 1921 T.S.D.C., pelsh). Also used attrib., and jocularly of a child, a young scamp (Bnff. 1965).Sc. 1808 Jam.:
A pilch carl, a short and gross man.Bnff. a.1829 J. Sellar Poems (1844) 22:
A fusum nasty drunken pilshach.Ags. 1867 G. W. Donald Poems 67:
Nane like the pilchecks noo wha gang At twal hours late.Kcd. 1900 W. MacGillivray Glengoyne I. viii.:
Whenever he heard his [Burns's] name mentioned, he generally denounced him as “a nesty pelsh aye dabblin' in drink and waur.”Mry. 1948:
He's a damned orra pilshach.
5. A tough, skinny piece of meat (Sc. 1808 Jam.).
6. The penis (Bnff. 1953, pilshach).
†II. v. To put a pilch or rag pad on a horse, to saddle.Ayr. 1723 J. Lamb Annals (1896) 154:
Immediately after their going home from the sermon, they went and pilched their horses, and went down to the Sandilands to get them loaded.
