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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

CLORACH, Claroch, Cloroch, Cleurach, Clairach, Cleerich, v. and n. [′klɔrəx, ′kle(:)rəx' ′kl(j)u:rəx ne.Sc., but Bnff. + ′kli:rəx; ′klɑrəx Kcb.]

I. v.

1. “To work in a dirty, slovenly fashion” (Mry.¹ 1914; Abd.², Ags.¹ 1936), esp. amongst liquids or slimy things. E.D.D. gives cleurach and clairach for Bnff. “expressing a greater degree of disgust, accompanied by impatience.”Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 26:
She wiz clorachin', an' cleanin' a chuckin.

2. With prep. wi' (wee): to fuss over a sick person or animal, to lavish excessive care. Also vbl.n. cleerichin.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 27:
Fin a geed into the hoose, she wiz clorachin' wee that lazy hurb o' a loon. A wyte there's nae muckle the maitter wee im.Bnff.² 1930:
Yon bairn's nae thrivin', an' I'm nae surprised at it, for the mither ha'ds a sad cleerichin wi't.

3. To clear the throat noisily, to hawk (Abd.¹⁹, Ags.¹ 1936).Mry.² 1935:
He's aye clorachin' an' spittin'.

4. “To sit over the fire in a lazy manner, with the idea of bad health in the person so doing; as, ‘Gae 'wa' oot, an' nae be eye sittin', an clorachin' our the fire'” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 26).Bnff.² 1936:
Yon lazy hullock sits an' clorachs owre the fire fin she sid be reddin' up her hoose.

Hence clorachin', adj., (1) “asthmatic; sickly; having a broken constitution” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 27); (2) “lazy and dirty at work” (Ib.).(1) Bnff.² 1936:
Kirsty's nae ower strong yet; she's aye bather't wi' a clorachin' caul at her breest.(2) Id.:
Peter wiz aye an eeseless, lazy, clorachin' breet.

II. n. A disgusting mass of anything, e.g. a clorach o' dubs; “any surface coated with a viscid substance” (Kcb.⁴ c.1900; Bnff., Abd., Edb. 2000s); “mucus” (Abd.⁷ 1925). Deriv. clorachie, sticky, messy (Bnff., Abd. 2000s).Bnff.⁶ c.1920:
What kin' o' a cloroch's that?Bnff.² 1936:
Peer John hiz nithing bit a clorach o' caul' porridge wytin him fin he comes in fae a sair day's wark.Abd.⁹ 1936:
The road in aboot t' Mains is jist a clorach o' dubs.Kcb.⁴ c.1900:
When roads are very muddy they are said to be in a claroch.