Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1875-1932
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BACK CHAP, n. A back stroke, a retort, a helping hand; esp. in the phrases, pit in, haud tae a (the) back chap.Abd.(D) 1875 W. Alexander Life Among my Ain Folk (1882) 162:
Aw can lippen to you; but ye'll need to pit in a back chap gin't be necessar.Abd.(D) 1912 Mains and Hilly in Abd. Wkly. Free Press (19 Oct.):
I wid 'a' sair not Baubie here t' pit in a back-chap, for . . . there's nae haudin' o' a boddy's ain wi' ye.Abd.1 1930:
Sammie hid nae set job aboot the place bit wis handy at sic times fan the maister needit some ane tae haud tae the back chap.Ags.2 1932:
Back-chap. The metaphor is from the smithy. The smith wields the fore-hammer, his helper comes in with a back-chap (with a smaller hammer).
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"Back Chap n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 10 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/back_chap>
