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scotch¹

(skŏch)

tr.v. scotched, scotch·ing, scotch·es

1. To put an abrupt end to: The prime minister scotched the rumors of her illness with a public appearance.

2. To injure so as to render harmless: "Would that the hour were come! We will not scotch, but kill" (George Gordon, Lord Byron).

3. Archaic To cut or score: "He scotched him and notched him like a carbonado" (William Shakespeare).

1. A surface cut or abrasion.

2. A line drawn on the ground, as one used in playing hopscotch.

[Middle English scocchen, to cut, perhaps from Anglo-Norman escocher, to notch : es-, intensive pref. (from Latin ex-; see EX-) + Old French coche, notch (probably from Latin coccum, scarlet oak berry, from Greek kokkos).]

scotch²

(skŏch)

tr.v. scotched, scotch·ing, scotch·es

To block (a wheel, for example) with a prop to prevent rolling or slipping.

A block or wedge used as a prop behind or under an object likely to roll.

[Origin unknown.]

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scotch2

Scotch

(skŏch)

adj.

1. Scottish. See Usage Note at Scottish.

2. Offensive Frugal or stingy.

1. (used with a pl. verb) The people of Scotland.

2. Scots.

3. Scotch whisky.

[Contraction of SCOTTISH.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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