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: 1822-1900
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SMITCH, n. Also smytch. [smɪtʃ]
1. A stain, blemish, taint, smudge, fig. a moral stain or flaw, a smirch on the character (Cld., Slk. 1825 Jam.; Uls. 1929; Dmb., Ayr. 1970).Rxb. 1858 H. S. Riddell Song of Solomon iv. 7:
Thou art a' fair . . . There is nae smitch in thee.Kcb.4 1900:
It's quite clean, there's no even a smitch on't.
2. A very small amount, a speck, jot, tittle, touch, trace (Uls. 1929).Ayr. 1836 J. Ramsay Woodnotes 26:
But every smitch o't was a kin' o' red.Slk. 1875 Border Treasury (19 June) 529:
They had the Edinburgh wi' a smitch o' the Glasgow twang theirsells.
3. A small insignificant person. Also in extended form smytcher, id. Cf. Smatchet.Ayr. 1822 Galt Sir A. Wylie xliv.:
I ken vera weel that ye dinna like to hae sic a wee smytch o' a partner as me.Ayr. 1822 Galt Entail lxxx.:
I used to send the impudent smytcher, wi' my haining o' twa-three pounds to the bank.
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"Smitch n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 6 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/smitch>
