Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1721-1790, 1895
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CURCUDDOCH, CURCUDDUCH, CORCUD(D)OCH, CARCUDEUGH, CURCUDDIE, adj., v. Also curcudyagh, curcudiough. [kʌr′kʌd(j)əx, kər′kʌdɪ̢]
1. adj.
(1) “Sitting close together” (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.2, curcuddoch); “intimate, good friends” (Rnf. 1788 E. Picken Poems, etc., Gl., carcudeugh); “sitting side by side around the fire” (Uls. 1929 (per Uls.2), curcudyagh). Hence curcudioughly, adv., “comfortably; cosily” (Uls. 1880 W. H. Patterson Gl. Ant. and Dwn.). For corrupt form curcudget, see Jam.2 quot. s.v. Garmunshach.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 7:
An' baith curcudduch an their heads bow'd down.
†(2) Cordial, kindly, good-humoured (Abd. 1825 Jam.2, corcuddoch; Dmf. Ib., curcuddoch).Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 345:
What makes you so ramgunshoch to me, and I so corcudoch.
2. v. †(1) To sit close together; “to hold a friendly tête-à-tête” (n.Sc. 1825 Jam.2).Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems, Gl.:
They were curcuddoching together, they were whispering kindly to one another, and dallying.
(2) To curtsy.Knr. 1895 “H. Haliburton” Dunbar in Mod. Sc. 97:
Allan curcuddied, Robert bow'd an' beckit.
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"Curcuddoch adj., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/curcuddoch>
