Show Search Results Show Browse

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

PLATCH, n.1, adv., v.1 Also plotch (s.Sc.).

I. n. 1. A splashing, a step or stamping movement in water or mud; a splash of mud, ink, etc. (Cai. 1902 E.D.D.; Sh., m.Lth., Lnk., s.Sc. 1966).Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sketches 114:
Every platch 'at he med skeetit it up and doon ower every ane 'at cam' near.
Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
A platch o' glaur.

2. A mire, a wet piece of ground (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 259, plotch). Adj. platchie, wet, muddy (‡ne.Sc., Rxb. 1966).Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 19:
The snaw-brui's strampeet inti a caald-broon platch.
Rxb. 1847 H. S. Riddell Poems 6:
The rivers roar frae bank to brae, And platchie are the moorlands aye.
Abd. 1932 R. L. Cassie Scots Sangs 25:
The shoggie bog we'll full wi' fale, Tho' platchie poach it be.

3. A large spot; a patch, of cloth (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 128; Sh., Rxb. 1966), of land (Sc. 1880 Jam.); a clot (Gregor). Deriv. platchack, platsek, a large patch (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1908 Jak. (1928)).Gregor:
He hiz an ugly platch on's cheek.

4. A sloppy, messy worker (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B., plotch).

II adv. With a splash, plop! (Sh., s.Sc. 1966).Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
Whan A took off ma drookit serk, it fell platch on the fluir.

III. v. 1. tr. To splash, bespatter, cover with mud (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 176; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 128; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Sh., Bnff. 1966); intr. to splash, drip, be soaking wet. Ppl.adj. platchin, soaking, sopping (Rxb. 1954 Hawick News (18 June) 7; s.Sc. 1966), comb. platchin-wat, id. (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Gregor:
He platch't his face wee ink. He platcht's claise wee dubs.
Rxb. 1895 J. B. Webber Rambles 50:
The storm couldna hae been mild For when I waken't ower my heid The sheaves were platchin'.
Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
He platch't the ink owre 'is copy. They platch't 'im wi' glaur.
Rxb. 1961 W. Landles Penny Numbers 4:
My feet were fairly chorkin' Inside my platchin' shoon.

2. To walk through mud or mire (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 259).Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sketches 107:
I sees Geordie comin' platchin' ower da guttery rigs, an' haddin' fur wir 'oos.
Sh. 1902 J. Burgess Shetland Folk 64:
Slavin' oot mi life kerryin' muck an' platchin' trouw da gutters o' Norderhus.
Rxb. 1904 Border Mag. 140:
Wi' slorpin feet, I platch an' slaiger home.
Fif. 1958 T. G. Snoddy Green Loanings 60:
Füles like this Plotch in the glar and owre the plew-honds hing.

3. To go about or work in a slovenly, sloppy way, to potter (Slk. 1825 Jam., plotch; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.; Sh., Per., s.Sc. 1966); to dabble in something messy or muddy (Rxb. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 259); to churn up or mix porridge, jumble, make a hotch-potch (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Sh. 1960 New Shetlander No. 54. 19:
[He] aye göd platchin aboot da hoose wi a rid padded cott on.

4. To apply a piece of material to a garment or the like for the purpose of mending it, to patch, “to repair in a clumsy manner” (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 128). Also in freq. form platchen, id. (Ib.). Vbl.ns. platchan, platchenan, clumsy repairing, botching; platchin, a large patch, spot, clot, etc. (Ib.).Gregor:
There's nae yse in 'ir keepin' sic a platchan o' (or at) hir man's quyte; for he's aible eneuch t' get a new ane.

[Of somewhat confused orig., partly onomat., partly an intensive variant of Plash, with influence, esp. in s.Sc., from Platch, n.2, v.2, and in certain meanings also prob. from patch. Cf. Clatch.]

You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.

"Platch n.1, adv., v.1". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/platch_n1_adv_v1>

20948

snd

Hide Advanced Search

Browse SND:

    Loading...

Share: