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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1703-1969

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WRICHT, n., v. Also ne.Sc. vricht, vright. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. wright. [(w)rɪçt; ne.Sc. vrɪçt; s.Sc. rɛɪ(ç)t]

I. n. A woodwright, a carpenter (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 198, 1808 Jam.; Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1915–26 Wilson; Rxb. 1942 Zai). Gen.Sc. Obs. in Eng. since 15th c. exc. dial. and in combs. as cart-, mill-, ship-, wheel-wright, themselves obsol. Also attrib.Sc. 1703 Fountainhall Decisions II. 188:
The mutual declarator, raised by David Grant wright in Edinburgh, and Daniel Simpson writer to the signet.
Gsw. 1712 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (B.R.S.) 471:
They should elect and choise a wright to be touns wright.
Sc. c.1730 E. Burt Letters (1815) I. 104:
I sent one day for a wright (they have no such distinction as joiner).
Bnff. 1784 A. Wight Present State Husbandry IV. 71:
There is house-room for every thing that can be wanted in a farm: he even has a wright's shop.
Ayr. 1789 Burns Letters (Ferguson) No. 347:
A parcel of masons, wrights, plaisterers.
Sc. 1829 Carlyle Misc. Essays (1874) II. 85:
The millwright, or cartwright, or any other wright whatever.
s.Sc. 1857 H. S. Riddell St Matthew xiii. 55:
Isna this the wricht's son? isna his mither ca't Mary?
Ags. 1888 Barrie Auld Licht Idylls ii.:
Tammy Mealmaker the wright, pronounced wir-icht.
Sth. 1896 in C. D. Bentinck Dornoch (1926) 278:
The various 'Brethren Balls' were great social functions in Dornoch. Old residenters inform me that the 'Vrichts' Ball was always considered the best.
Abd. 1922 Banffshire Jnl. (25 April) 8:
There was Meerison's vricht-shop.
ne.Sc. 1969 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 118:
Originals o' whilk His trade o' vricht had gi'en him access to.

Special combs.: (1) cabinet-wright, a cabinet-maker; (2) house-wright, a house-carpenter. Rare and obs. in Eng.: (3) square-wright, see Square, n.; (4) wright's black-coal, a kind of graphite used as a pencil by woodworkers; (5) wricht-work, carpentry, joiner-work.(1) Fif. 1869 St Andrews Gaz. (16 Jan.):
John Ayton, a cabinet-wright.
(2) Ayr. 1767 Ayr Presb. Reg. MS. (8 Dec.):
John McClymont house wright in Straiton.
(4) Fif. 1845 Stat. Acc.2 IX. 522:
There is at Baltullo mill, near Ceres, a seam of the "wright's black coal," which is used for marking.
(5) Gsw. 1712 Burgh Rec. Gsw. (B.R.S.) 472:
No other be imployed in the touns wright work.
Sc. 1758 Session Papers, Allison v. Affleck (19 Dec.) 1:
He has often wrought Wright-work in the House of Whitepark.
Ayr. 1767 Ayr Presb. Reg. MS. (8 Dec.):
The wright work and windows of the Manse.

II. v. To follow the occupation of a wright, to work in wood as a carpenter or joiner (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 204; Abd., Ags. 1974), gen. in vbl.n. vrichtan, -in, wrightin, joiner-work, carpentry (Id.). Also attrib. Also in Eng. dial.Bnff. 1876 S. Smiles Sc. Naturalist 168:
Far did ye learn the wrightin', the paintin', and the glazin'?
Abd. 1920 A. Robb. MS. ix.:
I grew fell handy at the wrichtin ere lang gaed.
Abd. 1966 Huntly Express (17 June) 2:
Harl a hoose, or p'int a bit wa' or ony vrichtin' jobbie.

[O.Sc. wrycht, a carpenter, a.1400, wryt werk, 1552.]

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"Wricht n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/wricht>

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