Other

scotch1

Syllabification: (scotch)

Pronunciation: /skäCH/

Translate scotch | into German | into Italian | into Spanish

Definition of scotch

verb

1 [with object] decisively put an end to:a spokesman has scotched the rumors
archaic render (something regarded as dangerous) temporarily harmless:feudal power in France was scotched, though far from killed

2 [with object] wedge (someone or something) somewhere:he soon scotched himself against a wall
archaic prevent (a wheel or other rolling object) from moving or slipping by placing a wedge underneath.

noun

archaic

a wedge placed under a wheel or other rolling object to prevent its moving or slipping.

Origin:

early 17th century (as a noun): of unknown origin; perhaps related to skate¹. The sense 'render temporarily harmless' is based on an emendation of Shakespeare's Macbeth iii. ii. 13 as “We have scotch'd the snake, not kill'd it,” originally understood as a use of scotch²; the sense 'put an end to' (early 19th century) results from the influence on this of the notion of wedging or blocking something so as to render it inoperative

scotch in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of scotch in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

More results for scotch

Subscriber login

Library card login