Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1777-1827, 1898-1919, 1979-2000
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DEOCHANDORUS, n. Also deoch an doras, deoch-an-doruis, dochan doris, dochan dorus, douchandorus, doch-an-dorrach, -och, deuchandorach, -dorish, -a-dorris, deughandoresh, Jock and Doris. A stirrup-cup; a parting drink, 'one for the road'; a small drink esp. of whisky (Cai., Bnff., Fif., Edb., Ayr., Dmf. 2000s). Also used in Ir. Gen.Sc. [′d(j)ɔx(ə)n-′do:rəs]Sc. 1827 Scott Two Drovers i.:
Some thrust out their snuff-mulls for the parting pinch — others tendered the doch-an-dorrach, or parting-cup.Sc. 1995 Daily Record 25 Oct 7:
Students of Stirling, now's the day and now's the hour. Hail Caledonia! Rise now and be a nation again! Scots Wha Hae! Just a Wee Dochan Dorus! (That's enough songs - Ed)Mry. 1919 J. S. Sutherland in North. Scot:
Some drouthy billies tak a tour Roon a' the bars o' Forres, An' bide beyond th' allotted oor To hae a dochan doris.Abd. 2000 Sheena Blackhall The Singing Bird 57:
Greyfriars' Bobby's suppin a plate o kail
While MacDiarmid poors himsel oot a
Wee deoch-an-doruis frae a bottle o peaty malt.Edb. 1979 Colin Douglas The Houseman's Trilogy (1985) 286:
'... Gin and Tonic, Dr Moray? ... Or a wee Jock and Doris as you hielanders say. ...'Gsw. 1898 D. Willox Poems and Sk. 221:
Ring the bell, an' we'll hae a “douchan-dorus” before we go.Dmf. [1777] J. Mayne Siller Gun (1836) 128:
And drink, wi' heart-endearing glee, A deochandorus!
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"Deochandorus n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 5 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/deochandorus>
