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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

WAUCHT, v., n. Also waught, wacht; wauch, waugh. [wɑxt, wǫxt; wǫx]

I. v. tr. and absol. To quaff, drink deeply, take large draughts (of) (Sc. 1825 Jam.; Fif. 1973), freq. with advs. out, ower, up. Also fig. to inhale, drink in (air).Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 91:
How hearty went these Healths about! How blythly were they waughted out!Peb. 1805 J. Nicol Poems I. 149:
Whar the Hempies reel'd in swarms, An' waughtit owre the whiskie.Slk. 1831 Hogg Poems (1874) 361:
The raven's grown hoarse wi' the waughtin' o' blood.Sc. 1841 D. Vedder Poems 78:
But now he's a dyvor, wi' birling and wauchin'.Kcd. 1849 W. Jamie Stray Effusions 27:
Packman billies waught their ale.Fif. 1853 J. Pringle Poems 101:
Deep may he waucht the inspiration O' the muse's hallow'd spring.Sc. 1896 J. Kerr Golf-Bk. E. Lth. 499:
It's health to rove owre Gullane Hill, An' waucht o' virgin air your fill.

II. n. 1. A draught of liquid, a long pull, swig or gulp of any drink (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Per. 1915 Wilson L. Strathearn 274; Ayr., Dmf. 1950; ne., em.Sc.(a), wm.Sc. 1973). Also fig.Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 113:
Thirsting for Fame, at the Pierian Spring The Poet takes a Waught.Sc. a.1783 King Henry in Child Ballads No. 32 xiv.:
She drank it a' up at a waught.Ayr. 1788 Burns Auld Lang Syne v.:
And we'll tak a right gude-willie waught, For auld lang syne.Sc. 1816 Scott O. Mortality iv.:
Gie them a waught o' drink and a bannock.Slk. 1818 Hogg B. of Bodsbeck xv.:
Davie brought me a hale bowie-fu' o' milk. ‘Tak a gude waught, goodman,' quo' he.Per. 1857 J. Stewart Sketches 79:
A waucht o' pure water for me.Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 67:
Wi' the snuff-box i' me left hand, and me right ready tae tak' the ither wauch.Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xix.:
I had a good wauch of milk in by Ratho.Slg. 1898 J. M. Slimmon Dead Planet 32:
A waucht to him that tapped the rock And gar't you trintle!Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 401:
He lay doon afore the wal an took a gude waucht o't.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 13:
A waucht o waeter.Abd. 1955 W. P. Milne Eppie Elrick vii.:
He weesh doon fat he wis ettin wi great wachts o' the clairet.

2. Transf. A deep breath of air, a full inhalation (Abd. 1973). Hence in Ayr. quot. used in a nonce sense of a draught, a breeze.Sc. 1838 Whistle-Binkie 39:
I'm sure 'twill do us meikle gude — a waucht o' cauler air.Ayr. 1900 J. Veitch G. D. Brown (1952) 145:
To lie a' nicht i' the windy waucht, And the clear, cauld, mornin' rain!Gall. 1900 R. J. Muir Muncraig 5:
The child did breathe waughts of salt air from the Forth.m.Sc. 1917 J. Buchan Poems 64:
We'll drink great wauchts o' the scented nicht.Abd. 1928 N. Shepherd Quarry Wood xvii.:
I wad jist like to howk a holie i' the earth an' get a waucht o' it.Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 62:
Syne, he'd aye tak fower strides frae the door ben the lobby inno the parlour an send a cauld waucht o air innower, faniver he opened the door, garrin the flames lowp abeen the clags o dross an bankit peat.