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: 1748, 1884-1922
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SLOOCH, v., n. Also sleuch (Ags. 1898 A. H. Rea Divot Dyke 36), sleutch (Jam.). Sc. forms and usages of Eng. slouch. [slutʃ]
I. v. 1. To crouch, cower, skulk in a furtive manner (Abd.4 1930; Uls. 1953 Traynor; I., nn. and m.Sc. 1970).Abd. 1748 R. Forbes Ajax 15:
Slouch behind my doughty targe.Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond My Man Sandy (1899) 112:
That'll learn ye to slooch an' harken to ither fowk's bisness.Abd. 1922 G. P. Dunbar Whiff o' Doric 17:
He doon ahin the hingin' saugh did quate an' canny slooch.
2. To idle, shirk work, malinger (Cld. 1880 Jam., sleutch).
II. n. An idle fellow, a work-shy (Sh., Ags., Per. 1970). Now dial. in Eng.; one who walks in an ungainly manner (Sc. 1755 S. Johnson Dict.).Sc. 1884 Stevenson Letters (1901) I. 342:
I recognise myself, compared with you, to be a lout and slouch of the first water.
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"Slooch v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 15 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/slooch>
