Scotch
See also: scotch
EnglishEdit
EtymologyEdit
Contraction of Scottish.
The chess opening is supposedly after its having been played in a correspondence game between Edinburgh, Scotland, and London, England.
PronunciationEdit
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /skɒt͡ʃ/
- (General American) IPA(key): /skɑt͡ʃ/
- Rhymes: -ɒt͡ʃ
NounEdit
Scotch (countable and uncountable, plural Scotches)
- (as a plural noun, the Scotch) The people of Scotland.
- The Scotch are a hardy bunch.
- (uncountable) Whisky distilled in Scotland, especially from malted barley.
- Paul has drunk a lot of Scotch.
- (countable) Any variety of Scotch.
- My favorite Scotches are Glenlivet and Laphroaig.
- (countable) A glass of Scotch.
- Gimme a Scotch.
Usage notesEdit
- Use of Scotch to refer to the people of Scotland is currently deprecated in British English; the preferred terms are Scottish or Scots.
- See Scottish § Usage notes for more help.
SynonymsEdit
- (people of Scotland): Scots, Scottish
- (whisky): malt, malt whiskey, malt whisky, Scotch whisky
TranslationsEdit
people of Scotland
uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
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glass of Scotch whisky
Proper nounEdit
Scotch
- (dated) The Scottish dialect of English, or the Scots language.
- 1932, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Sunset Song, Polygon 2006 (A Scots Quair), p. 156:
- But Rob was just saying what a shame it was that folk should be shamed nowadays to speak Scotch – or they called it Scots if they did, the split-tongued sourocks!
- 1932, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Sunset Song, Polygon 2006 (A Scots Quair), p. 156:
- (chess, informal, the Scotch) The opening
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4.- Karpov played the Scotch against Anand.
SynonymsEdit
- (Can we clean up(+) this sense?) (dialect): Scots, Scots English, Scottish
- (chess opening): the Scotch Game (not informal)
TranslationsEdit
dialect
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AdjectiveEdit
Scotch (not comparable)
- (dated) Of or from Scotland; Scottish.
- 1801, William Hanna, Memoirs of the life and writings of Thomas Chalmers (page 422)
- Behind all his assumed unsocialism there lay a true warm heart; nor could anything be kindlier than the welcome which, whenever they did come to him, any of his Scotch relatives received.
- 1817, Walter Scott, Rob Roy:
- our landlord informed us, with a sort of apologetic tone, that there was a Scotch gentleman to dine with us.
- 1801, William Hanna, Memoirs of the life and writings of Thomas Chalmers (page 422)
Usage notesEdit
- The Scottish dislike the term Scotch and consider it offensive. The preferred adjectives are Scottish and Scots.
- The use of Scotch was more widespread formerly, but is now generally limited to a few specific cases: Scotch plaid, Scotch whisky, Scotch broth, etc.