Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1785-1838, 1901-1997
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SPLEUCHAN, n. Also spleughan, spluchan (Abd. 1928), splughan (Dmf. 1920), splookan, spluichan, splochan, spluchen, sploycken; speuchan, spyeuchan (Ayr. 1952; Mry., Bnff. 1971), spewchtin, -an, speochan, spiochan. [′spl(j)uxən; ′spjuxən. See L, 3.]
1. A tobacco pouch, usu. made of leather (Sc. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry Gl.; Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 54; Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., speuchan; Cld. 1880 Jam.; Arg. 1882 Arg. Herald (3 June); Mry. 1925, spewchtin, -an; Uls. 1929, spleughan; Cai. 1934, spiochan; Rs. 1948, splookan; Ork., n.Sc., Per., Slg., wm.Sc., Gall. 1971). Comb. spleuchan-fu', n., a pouchful.Ayr. 1785 Burns Death & Dr Hornbook xiv.:
Deil mak his king's-hood in a spleuchan!Kcb. 1814 W. Nicholson Tales 124:
Tinin' his spleuchan i' the pantry.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xxviii.:
Mistress Glass, the tobacconist, wha is so ceevil as to send you down your spleuchan-fu' anes a-year.Dmf. 1824 Carlyle Early Life (Froude) I. 223:
The neckerchief and tobacco with the spluichan.Ayr. a.1838 D. Caldwell Poems 27:
Ilk, after ither, his pipe broke ay: They flang their sployckens on the hoaky.Lnk. 1910 C. Fraser Glengonnar 117:
They took oot their pipes, an' changed spleuchans afore fillin' them.Bnff. 1954 Banffshire Jnl. (25 May):
My aul' spleuchan o' tibacca tae full again.Dmf. 1997 Nell Thomson Spit the First Sook 5:
The baccy was kept in a round tin box, but there was usually a pouch, called a spluchen, that was kept for smarter times and outings.
2. A pouch for holding money, a purse, gen. one of skin or leather (Uls. 1929; Ork., Per. 1971, spluchan); also fig.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 36:
Ilk chiel screw'd up his dogskin spleuchan.Sc. 1814 Scott Waverley xxix.:
The intricacies of a Saxon breeches pocket, or spleuchan, as he [Callum] called it.Sc. 1836 J. Baillie Witchcraft i. iv.:
The best har'st fee that ever was paid into a Lowlander's purse or a Highlander's spleuchan.Kcb. 1901 A. Trotter East Gall. Sk. 143:
Train visited Scott at Edinburgh, carrying with him as a present Rob Roy's spleuchan.Ork. 1920 J. Firth Reminisc. 119:
The farmer set out with a few carefully hoarded pounds folded up in his "nor'-wast spleuchan."Abd. 1921 R. L. Cassie Doric Ditties 17:
Awa' in caul' Buchan we hae a fu' spleuchan O' aul'-farran words wi' a guff o' the Norseman.
¶3. Transf. The female pudendum.Ayr. 1785 Burns A. Armour's Prayer ii.:
Because we've stang'd her through the place and hurt her spleuchan.
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"Spleuchan n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/spleuchan>
