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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RAPLOCH, n., adj. Also rap(p)lach; raplack, raplock; rablogh; erron. ramploch. [′rɑplɔx]

I. n. 1. Coarse homespun woollen cloth which is undyed (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Uls. 1953 Traynor); a garment made of this. Also raploch-grey, id.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality xl.:
His douce raploch-grey, and his band wi' the narrow edging.Sc. a.1854 D. Vedder Poems (1878) 348:
Ophelias in woollen raplochs, and Desdemonas in linsey woolsey frocks.Uls. 1878 Trans. Hist. Soc. Lan. & Chs. XXX. 115:
As coarse as raploch.Kcb. 1900:
The warp and weft of raploch are not driven closely together in the loom.Sc. 1913 H. P. Cameron Imit. Christ i. xxv. 47:
Their scran is puir, their cleed in ramploch.

2. Yarn, flax, etc., of inferior texture and quality (Uls. a.1870 W. Lutton Montiaghisms (1924) 32, rablogh.)

3. “The skin of a hare littered in March, and killed in the end of the year” (Cld. 1825 Jam.).

II. adj. 1. Of cloth or yarn: made of raploch, coarse, home-spun, undyed (Sc. 1818 Sawers).Sc. 1726 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) I. 176:
The rost was teugh as raploch hodin, With which they feasted Jenny and Jock.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 75:
An' gayly shaw'd their raploch gear, An' bridles made o' rashes.Rnf. 1813 G. MacIndoe Wandering Muse 32:
[To] mak the kirk sae far the dupe o' state. As reak red raploch rungs 'tween seat an seat.Dmf. 1826 A. Cunningham Paul Jones I. iv.:
I shall never make fine linen out of this raplock lint.

2. transf.: (1) home-made crude, rough and ready. In 1933 quot. the usage is eclectic and dubious.Ayr. 1789 Burns 2nd Ep. Davie vii.:
The Muse, poor hizzie! Tho' rough an' raploch be her measure.Fif. 1811 C. Gray Poems 33:
Then I now, shall try now To spin some raplock rhyme.Dmf. 1894 R. Reid Poems 134:
Rough and raploch mountain cheer.Rxb. 1933 Kelso Chron. (3 Nov.) 5:
Frae morn till nicht he'd staun' an' fish withooten hap or biel' Ahint a souple sauch-wand an' a raplach, roosty reel.

(2) Of persons: ordinary, plain, undistinguished; crude, uncouth (Ags. 1967).Abd. 1882 W. Forsyth Writings 24:
Ye rapplach rullion, black wi' sin, Thocht ye to change yer' beastly form.Arg. 1936:
A. was a minister and B. was a Doctor and C. was a Schoolmaster and then there was D. — he was the only raploch one o' them all.