Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1825-1925
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CLEESH, Cleish, v. and n.1 Also cleich. [kliʃ]
1. v.
(1) "To lash (a person) with a whip" (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., cleesh).Sc.(E) 1897 E. Hamilton Outlaws of the Marches xi.:
And cleish the flesh in slivers frae my back.Rxb. 1825 Jam.2:
Cleish, to whip. Hence, it is supposed, the fictitious name of the author of the Tales of my Landlord, Jedediah Cleishbotham, q[uasi] flog-bottom.
(2) "To crack (a whip)" (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Hence cleesher, a "cracker."Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
That whup's a guid cleesher.
2. n.
(1) A lash or stroke with a whip (Rxb. 1825 Jam.2; 1923 Watson W.-B.); a blow of any kind (Kcb.9 1937). Also intensive cleisher.Sc.(E) 1925 "H. MacDiarmid" Sangschaw 12:
And owre't the forkit lichtnin' flees Like a cleisher o' a whup!
(2) "A cracking sound made by a whip" (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).
Phr. to play cleish, to make a whip crack; to go with a clatter or crack.m.Lth. 1857 Misty Morning 269:
I'll gae in afore ye, case ye play cleich owre onything, and break yer shins.Slk. 1893 W. Wathershanks 20:
He played cleish at iz wi' a big whup. "Come out of that, you great clodhoppers," says he, gi'e'n' the whup another cleish.
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"Cleesh v., n.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 9 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/cleesh_v_n1>
