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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SLOCH, n.¹, v.¹ Also slowch, sluch. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. slough, outer skin, husk, etc. [slɔx, slʌx, ne.Sc. + †sljʌx]

I. n. 1. The outer skin or husk of a fruit or vegetable (Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. Gl., 1825 Jam., slough; Cai., ne.Sc., Ags., Per., Ayr. 1970), as the peel of an orange (Mry., Bnff. 1970), the skin of a berry (ne.Sc., Dmf. 1970), the pod of peas or beans (Gall. 1904 E.D.D.; Kcb. 1921 T.S.D.C.; Uls. 1953 Traynor Gl.; ne.Sc., Ags., Per., Ayr., Dmf. 1970); the sheath of a straw (Cai. 1904 E.D.D.). Comb. ¶slough-pang't of beans: with well-filled pods.Kcb. c.1900 Gallovidian (1913) 108:
Wi' beans slough-pang't and ivy brawest dress't.Mry. 1921 T.S.D.C. IV. 51:
Here's some berries tae ye, but be sure an' spit oot the slochs noo.Ags.² 1925:
Shell thae peas, and throw the slochs to the pigs.Dmf. 1949:
He ate the grossets, sluchs and aa.

2. The thin membrane covering the intestines in fish (Ork. 1929 Marw., slough, Ork. 1970). Obs. in Eng. in 16th c.

3. The pelt or coat of a sheep taken, skin and wool together, from a dead animal (Per., Arg., sm.Sc. 1970); also transf. of any similar covering.Gall. 1708 Session Bk. Minnigaff (1939) 244:
Some sloughs of dead sheep. . . . Two slowch.Ayr. 1892 H. Ainslie Pilgrimage 190:
A bannet, wig, an' slough o' hair.

†4. Fig. Clothing, dress, apparel. Revived by Scott, imitated by Carlyle.Sc. 1808 Scott Marmion vi. vii.:
For now that sable slough is shed.Sc. 1820 Scott Monastery xviii.:
I did but wait to cast my riding slough.Dmf. 1844 Carlyle in Atlantic Monthly (1898) 677:
Surely you wear the new Hawick sloughs?

5. A lumpish, lubberly person, “a raw or soft fellow” (Dmf. a.1838 Jam. MSS. xii. 202).Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 428:
A fine slough o' a cheel, a harmless contented man.Dmf. 1836 A. Cunningham Lord Roldan I. vii.:
The tane is a lang, black aviced, a tinker-like slough of a fallow.Bwk. 1856 G. Henderson Rhymes 90:
Whaever brought a lang, lean slough, like that here, to raise a dearth amang the bread.

II. v. To remove the wool from a dead sheep by skinning rather than clipping or shearing (Dmf. 1925 Trans. Dmf. and Gall. Antiq. Soc. XIII. 39, sluch; sm.Sc. 1970). Cf. n., 3.