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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.

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.