Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FRACA, n. Also fracaw, fracca, fraeca, fraika; for(e)ca. Sc. forms of Eng. fracas. [Sc. frə′kɑ:, -′kǫ:, em.Sc. + fɔr′kǫ:. Cf. Jam.⁶ s.v.]

1. A fuss, to-do, palaver, without implying the Eng. meaning of a squabble, a row. Gen.Sc.Peb. 1836 J. Affleck Poet. Wks. 51:
Then down wi' fracca and pretension.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 10:
Paetie Linklid . . . meed a lang story wi muckle fraca' aboot whit he wad deu.Gsw. 1898 D. Willox Poems and Sk. 43:
What a prood woman Meg wad be could she hae seen the fraeca' that was being made.Arg. 1914 N. Munro New Road xxxv.:
He had some other reason for having the box and making such fraca about its loss when he thought her son had taken it.Sc. 1929 Scots Mag. (June) 207:
An ordinary weel-faured lad he is, I'm no denyin', but naething tae mak' a fracaw aboot.Abd. 1929 J. Alexander Mains and Hilly 6:
Bit aw canna be deein' wi a' their flagairies an' fracas.

‡2. Intimate, demonstrative friendship, warm affection (Abd., Fif., m.Lth. 1953).Ags. 1869 W. Pyott Poems (1885) 18:
They've an unco fraika wi' the bairns.Fif. c.1890:
If I was you, I wad hae nae forca wi thae laddies. They're no guid.Abd.¹ 1929:
There wis a richt fraca atween them a fyle, bit they sune gaed throu' the bows wi't.Fif. 1952 E. Fife Observer (19 May):
When Britain's back was at the wa', They did their bit withoot a thraw, Yet, for sic things, they've nae foreca And nivver hanker.