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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

COOCH, v.¹ and n. Also cutch; ¶coutts, altered punningly in quot. on surname Coutts.  Sc. forms and usages of Eng. couch. [kutʃ, kʌtʃ]

1. v.

(1) To lie down, gen. used of animals, but used in Sc. with up = to go to bed (of persons). Known to Bnff.², Ags.¹, Fif.¹⁰, Lnl.¹ 1937. Used in the imper. as a command to a dog to lie down (‡Abd. 1975); to settle in a comfortable position. Abd. 1920 A. Robb MS. xi.:
We heard somebody sayin' to the dogs, "Cutch, Tweed."Abd. 1928 Letters of Jeems in Abd. Weekly Jnl. (29 Nov.) 6/5:
The butler tellt me 'at he'd read somewye 'at the last thing ye think aboot fin ye cooch up has a lot t' dee wi' the soon'ness o' yer sleep.Abd. 1990 Stanley Robertson Fish-Hooses (1992) 138:
The feeling wis guid but it wis tae be short lived. For ye see, whin he entered his designated compartment there wis a bean rannie pottach wi a saft tweed hat already sitting coochted.Abd. 1994 Stanley Robertson in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 16:
Maistly she wid either sit cooched in the hoose or she wid gang awa for a trodge tae hersel.

(2) tr. To make (a dog) lie down. Abd. 1910 J. Grant Legends of Mar 9:
Go, Allan, and coutts these dogs, for I can't sleep a bit for their howling.

2. n.

Sc. form of Eng. couch.Dundee 1996 Matthew Fitt Pure Radge 6:
sehlince
is crasht oot lyk a burst cooch
in a coarnir o bustit gless

Sc. usage:

A dog's kennel (Abd.²² 1937).Bnff. 1876 S. Smiles Life Sc. Naturalist i.:
“Ye hinna a cooch,” replied Tam; for he had no notion of anything being chained but dogs.