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.
Quotation dates: 1795-1845, 1927
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SCARNACH, n., v. Also -och, -ogh, skarnoch, -ogh, squarnoch. [′skɑrnəx]
I. n. 1. Heaps or accumulations of loose stones on a hillside, a scree, a bed of detritus.Arg. 1795 Stat. Acc.1 VIII. 415:
Rocks and stony parts, without even a mixture of earth. These parts are called Scarnachs.Per. 1845 Stat. Acc.2 X. 345:
Stupendous hills full of rocks and scarnachs, the haunts of foxes and ravenous birds.
2. A great number of anything, a multitude, of words (Ayr. 1825 Jam.), “a collection of children, an exhibition of glaring lights” (Rnf. 1837 Crawfurd MSS. XI. 325–9, scarnoch, squarnoch). Now arch.Ayr. 1927 J. Carruthers A Man Beset i. vii.:
A glaikit lass to be carried awa' by a scarnoch o' coo-me-doo words aboot love in a cottage.
3. A noisy tumult (Lnk. 1825 Jam.).
II. v. Only in vbl.n. scarnoghin, a great noise (Ayr. 1825 Jam.).
[Gael. sgàirneach, = 1., the noise of the fall of such stones, a howling, rumbling noise.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Scarnach n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 10 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/scarnach>
