Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
FLOCHT, n., v. Also floucht, †flowcht, †flought, flucht, †flught. [flɔxt, flʌ(u)xt]
I. n. 1. A flutter; a palpitation (Sh.10, Abd.27 1952); fig. a fright, scare (Mry. 1916 T.S.D.C. II., flowcht). Phrs.: a-flought, in a floucht, upo(n) the flought, in a flutter, in a state of dread or anxiety.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 81:
Then Nory . . . began to free Her sell to them, the best way that she mought, Saying the dreary news set me a flought.Ib. 18:
But yet her heart was ay upo' the flought, Sleepin' an' wakin', Lindy fill'd her thought.Abd. 1824 G. Smith Douglas 23:
Sae mony won'ers an' sae muckle thought, Dee what I like, I'm aye upon the flought.Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 92:
Ta hear William's story sets me heart in a floucht.
2. Bustle, excitement, stress (Abd.27 1952); a sudden gust of anger or change of opinion (Sc. 1818 Sawers). Adj. flochty, erratic, excitable, jumpy (Abd. 1825 Jam.); easily angered (Sc. 1818 Sawers).Bch. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 2:
Few herds are out; what mak's ye'n sic a flught? An' Adie's sheep's a' bleating i' the bucht.Abd. 1910 Abd. Jnl. N. & Q. III. 224:
Ye'd think that de'ils wir at their heels They're sae byord'nar' flochty.Abd. 1921 R. L. Cassie Doric Ditties 16:
Oh, the steer an' flocht o' flittin', Tears saut my een are dittin'.Abd.1 1929:
The flocht o' the business wis owre muckle for him.
†3. “A bustling, bouncing or gaudy person; a flirt” (Cld. 1880 Jam.).
II. v. 1. To flutter, to palpitate, esp. in vbl.n. flochtin, -en (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Sh.10 1952).Sh. 1836 Gentleman's Mag. II. 590:
I tuik hit fur a trow, an ma hert tuik a flochtin an a whiskin hit wiz unmoderit.Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 4:
Atween da hard wark, broonkidnis, an' a flouchtin' i' da mooth o' my stammik.
2. tr. or refl. To excite, flurry; to startle, frighten. Ppl.adj. flochtit, fluchtit (Mry.1 1925; ne.Sc. 1952), flochtid (Cai.9 1952), excited, flurried, harassed. Hence flochter, a person or animal that is easily excited or scared, e.g. a broody hen (Cai. 1911 John o' Groat Jnl. (17 March)).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 50:
He cam in wee a fause-face on, an' fluchtit the bairn.Abd. 1898 J. R. Imray Sandy Todd xi.:
She was sae fluchtit kin' the haill foreaneen that I didna ken fat tae mak' o' her.Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Benachie 108:
I canna help bein' flochtit files, fin there's nae ae penny tae rub abeen anidder.Bnff.2 1930:
Jean flochts hersel aboot the loon in America.
†3. To give oneself airs, to show off; to flirt (Rnf. 1825 Jam.).Rnf. 1807 R. Tannahill Poems (1876) 17:
Tae shew we're gentle, whan we wauk on fit, In passin puir fouk, how we'll flucht an skit.
Hence flochter, flughter, a pompous individual, “a person looking extremely big and wishing all eyes to observe” (Gall. 1824 MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. 207, flochter). Cf. flee-up, s.v. Flee, v.1, n.1, II. 19; a bustling, showy person, a flirt (Cld. 1880 Jam.). Cf. n., 3. Adj. fleuchtersome, pompous, blustering (Kcb.4 1900).
[O.Sc. flocht, a flutter, a state of perturbation or excitement, from c.1480, O.E. or O.N. *floht(e). Cf. O.N. flótti and cogn. O.E. flyht, flight.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Flocht n., v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/flocht_n_v>