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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Spraich, n. Also: sprach(e, sprauch, spreich, spirich, spraicht, spracht. [Imitative. Also in the later dial.]

1. A wail, a cry of grief or distress; a yell; an outcry. 1513 Doug. iv xii 60.
Hir systir An … Fast ruschis throu the myddis of the rowt, … with many sprauch [E. spirich, Ruthv., 1553 spreich, L. spraich and schout] 1513 Doug. vi vii 6.
Thai hard seir vocis lamentabill, Gret walyng, quhympring, sprachis miserabill 1531 Bell. Boece I 66.
The miserabill moderis and wiffis, knawing thair husbandis and sonnis perist in the sees, convenit to the schippis, with hidduous spraichis [M. sprachtis] and schowtis 1531 Bell. Boece I 240.
The hillis, valis, and lesuris resoundit … with maist terribil spraichis of yammering pepill in the deidthraw 1531 Bell. Boece II 157.
The wemen, seing thair husbandis wondit, gaif sic horrible spraichis [M. spraichtis] that thay wer more impediment than support to the fechtaris 1533 Bell. Livy II 10/21.
Matronis … inquiring with reuthfull spraichis gif thare barnis and douchteris war nurist to sic terribill end 1605 Crim. Trials II 463.
Gif the said Eduard, hir husband, and vtheris nychtbouris (heiring hir and hir said servand gif the sprache and cry) had nocht cum with diligence [etc.] 1606 Crim. Trials II 519.
Eftir the samin slauchter wes committit, thay baith mett togidder … and hering the spraich ryise, and the countrey to follow thame, thay baith fled in Ingland

2. The call or cry of a bird. 1513 Doug. xii v 68.
The ern … Skrymmys heir and thar with mony sprauch and craik