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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CHINCOUGH, Chincoch, n. Whooping-cough. Known to Cai.⁷ 1940 and Arg.¹ 1929 in form chincoch, and to Fif.¹ 1940, Rnf.¹ c.1920. Cf. kinkcough and kink-hoast s.v. Kink, v.², n.² Common in Eng. dial. but now obs. in St.Eng. [′tʃɪnkɔf, ′tʃɪnkɔx]Sc. 1769 W. Buchan Domestic Medicine 362:
Of the Hooping-cough, or Chin Cough: This cough seldom affects adults, but proves often fatal to children.Ork. 1795 Stat. Acc.¹ VII. 542:
No epidemical distempers are generally prevalent here [Kirkwall], if we except the small-pox, measles, chincough, and others of that nature.ne.Sc. 1822 William Mackie compiler, ed. David Stevenson The Diary of a Canny Man (1991) 10:
13th July, 1822 ... The children are not yet clear of the chin cough but are otherwise all in good health and have got a fine day.Abd. 1784 Entry in Strichen parish registers:
Isabel Chalmers, Borrowhill, of the chincough aged 8 years.Edb. 1915 J. Fergus The Sodger, etc. (1916) 18:
An' it wasna like the chin-cough, or the croup or the diphthery.Uls. 1901 J. W. Byers in North. Whig:
If the patient is a child he . . . may have . . . the “chin-cough” (whooping-cough).