Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1934 (SND Vol. I). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

AIRCH, ARCH, n. [ertʃ + ɛ].

(1)  Sc. form of Eng. arch.  Edb. 2003:
Whit's the name o yon bridge doon Berwick wye wi aw the airches?

(2) Aim.Cai.³ 1931:
'At wis a poor airch ye made.Mry.¹ 1928:
He took an airch an' lat flist at the bird.Bnff.² 1931:
His han' shook, an' he couldna get a steady airch at the craitur.Abd., Rxb. 1825 Jam.²:
Airch, arch, an aim.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B. (for north and central Rxb.):
‡Airch, an aim; an act of aiming, as with a bow and arrow, etc.

(3) (See quot.)Ags.³ 1931:
Used to be common in Arbroath for the angle of the elbow in aiming with bow and arrow, or in putting — i.e. throwing the stone or caber.