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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TEUCHIT, n. Also teuchat (Ags. 1851 Montrose Standard (13 June) 8; Mry. 1873 J. Brown Round Table Club 339; Bnff. 1934 J. M. Caie Kindly North 21, Abd. 1961 P. Buchan Mount Pleasant 17), teuchet, tyeuchit, tyoochit (Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick xxix.), tchuchet (Kcd. 1813 J. Robertson Agric. Kcd. 396); toochet, touchet (Sc. 1741 A. McDonald Galick Vocab. 75), -it, tuchit (ne.Sc. 1903 G. Sim Fauna of “Dee” 169); ¶pteuchat (Mry. 1844 Zoologist II. 512); shochad (Cai. 1922 J. Horne Poems 21). See also Teewheet. The lapwing, peewit or green plover, Vanellus cristatus (Sc. 1814 J. Sinclair Agric. Scot. App. I. 436; Per., Fif., Lth. 1915–26 Wilson; ne.Sc., em.Sc.

(a) 1972). [′tjuxət; ′tjʌxət; Cai. ′ʃɔxɑd]Ags. 1815 G. Beattie John o' Arnha' (1882) 204:
The timid teuchit slouch'd its crest.Bnff. 1856 J. Collie Poems 135:
Skirlin' out “fish” like a teuchet.Ags. 1879 J. Guthrie Poems 16:
The teuchats flaffer owre the tufftit bog.Kcb. 1911 G. M. Gordon Auld Clay Biggin' 52:
A wild, bleak bit it was, weel-stocked wi' teuchets an' whaups.Bnff. 1954 Banffshire Jnl. (7 Sept.):
The lanesome wail o' the whaup or tyeuchit.Cai. 1963 Edb. John o' Groat Liter. Soc. Mag. 13:
To look for shochad eiggs!Abd. 1991 George Bruce in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 22:
The mist was risen afore him, mixed in
wi the floorish o gean and blackthorn: bird sang,
teuchats flapped aboot the derk plooed fields,
lambs bleat frae the green field tither side.

Combs. and phrs.: 1. teuchet egg, a lapwing's egg; transf. a variety of eating apple; 2. teuchit(s')-storm, a period of bleak wintry weather, gen. about the middle of March, when the lapwings arrive and begin to nest, the date varying in different districts and seasons (Sc. 1852 W. MacGillivray Hist. Brit. Birds IV. 137; ne.Sc., em.Sc.(a) 1972); 3. to hunt the teuchit, to be engaged on some fruitless pursuit, to be on a wild-goose chase; “it probably alludes to the artful means employed by the lapwing, for misleading those who seek for her nest in order to carry off her young” (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.). Cf. Gowk, n.¹, 5. (4); 4. a place the tuchits dinna ken o', a very remote place, the back of beyond (Abd. 1921 T.S.D.C.).1. Lnk. 1802 W. Forsyth Fruit-Trees 65:
Summer Teuchet Egg, a small early Clydesdale Apple, of a reddish yellow colour.

2. Kcd. 1813 G. Robertson Agric. Kcd. 396; The green plover, or peas-weep, arrives here about Candlemas term, and the storm which generally happens at that season of the year, goes by its name (The Tchuchet Storm).Mry. 1845 Stat. Acc.² XIII. 29:
A succession of storms called . . . the borrowing days, the Toochet's storm, the Gouk's storm, (the equinoxial) and the gab of May.Bnff. 1887 Trans. Bnff. Field Club 67:
The ‘teuchits' storm and the ‘gowk's' storm also make themselves felt on the appearance of these migratory birds.Ags. 1923 Dundee Ev. Telegraph (13 April):
Now that the teuchats' storm is over.Abd. 1955 Buchan Observer (18 Oct.):
Spring efter Spring, ere the teuchats' storm was bye.Abd. 2000 Sheena Blackhall The Singing Bird 2:
The teuchit storm
Skitters its seed o shortsome snaw
That blossoms furth in branchin storms,
Glentin like ony wattergaw.3. Abd. 1733 W. Forbes Dominie Depos'd (1765) 39:
Far better for them hunt the touchit, Or teach their Schools.