Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1983 (DOST Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Panch(e, Painch, Pench(e, n. Also: pansch(e, pansh(e; painsch(e, payn(s)ch(e; pench(e; pynche; paunch(e, pawnch, paunsh(e. Plur. also panscheis, panschieis. [ME. and e.m.E. paunche (Piers Plowman), panche (1548), also pownche (c 1430), the belly, the rumen, also plur. entrails (of a deer) (once, a 1548), ONF. panche, OF. pance (F. panse): cf. Pans n.¹After c 1550 chiefly north. and Sc. in sense 2.]

1. The belly or stomach of a human being.In the Barb. quot. the rhyme appar. points to a form after OF. pance rather than ONF. panche: (cf. Pans n.¹).Appar. chiefly dyslogistically, in contexts suggesting gluttony. 1375 Barb. ix. 399 (E).
Our lordis off Fraunce … With gud morsellis fayrcis thar pawnchis [: dawncis; C. panch: dance] 1570 Sat. P. x. 18.
Ane woundit man … schot throw pudding and panche Abone the nauil and out abone the hanche 1584 Sempill Ib. xlv. Pref. 124.
Swa live thir lyars … Packand thair penche lyk Epicurians 1604-31 Craig iii. 31.
Pansh 1642 A Second Discovery of the Northern Scout 13.
The muskateers had … panged their panches with butter-milk and whay c1690 Bk. Pasquils 322.
He not being used to plenty glutts his panch [: wench]

2. plur. The viscera or entrails of an animal esp. as used as food; tripe.(a) c1500-c1512 Dunb. lxxxii. 25 (R).
And at ȝour trone … [are] Pansches pudingis of Jok & James 1512 Household Bk. Jas. IV 1 a.
For a wayme of panchis 1535 Stewart 2957.
Part of the panchis with the lytch suld byde 1572 Elgin Rec. I. 131.
Panscheis 1596 Oldcambus Acc. 12.
Drynke to souse the nowlt feit and panchis with alle 1598 Black Bk. Taymouth 333.
Boytis for panschis 1598 Household Bks. Jas. VI 25 May.
Twa wambe panschieis 1640 Dunferm. B. Rec. II. 186.
Panshes 1665 Lauder Jrnl. 79.
We have eaten panches heir [in France] … drest in a different sort from ours but better(b) 1548 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 141.
That na paynsches be weischein nor dycht at ony wallis 1567–8 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. App. 316.
Ane wome of painschis ii s. 1596 Dalr. I. 94/30.
In place of potis and sik seithing vesselis, the painches of ane ox or ane kow thay vset cheiflie 1597 Household Bks. Jas. VI 10 March.
Ane half wambe painschis 1610 Dunferm. B. Rec. II. 73. 1617 Edinb. B. Rec. VI. 165.
Painschis(c) a1500 Henr. Fab. 728 (Bann.).
Or heid and feit or penchis [H. panchis, Ch. paynchis] lat me preif 1631 Buccleuch Household Bk. 25 Sept.
Penchis 1677 Banff Ann. I. 157.
The hydis, tallo, heid and foot and penches of the saidis beiffis(d) 1669 Glasgow B. Rec. III. 120.
The magistratis … discharges the fleshouris … to kill any mutton or hudron on the hie streit … and that thei keep their filth and pynches aff the foir gait(e) 16.. Sempill P. 69/69.
There will be … sowens and farles and baps And swats and scraped paunches

b. Attrib. in sing. form. 1548 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 141.
That the said candilmakeris … by na kitchein fie nor paynsche tawche in hurt of the occupatioun of cordiners 1565 Ib. III. 209.
That the panche, pudding and scheipheid merkat be transportit to [etc.]

3. plur. The bowels or guts of a person. 1650 A Duply xxvi. 3 in Fugitive Poetry 2 Ser.
Then I'd bange 'um … His cragge, his weeme and eke his panches [: hanches] 1701 Parliament Burlesque xlv. 2/31 in Ib.
He … must give vent To what's within his paunshes pent