adj · name · noun · verb · 28 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/skɒt͡ʃ/
General-American:/skɑt͡ʃ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɒtʃ
Received-Pronunciation:/skɒt͡ʃ/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:S K AA1 CH
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Alternative form of Scotch (“Scottish”)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Of or from Scotland; Scottish.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated, not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
name
Meaning 3
The Scots language.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
name
Meaning 4
The Scottish dialect of English.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
name
Meaning 5
The people of Scotland.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated
Examples
The Scotch are a hardy bunch.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
name
Meaning 6
The opening 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
Topics: board-games, chess, games
Examples
Karpov played the Scotch against Anand.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
A surface cut or abrasion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A line drawn on the ground, as one used in playing hopscotch.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
A block for a wheel or other round object; a chock, wedge, prop, or other support, to prevent slipping.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
a scotch for a wheel or a log on inclined ground
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
Alternative form of Scotch (“whisky”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
Scotch tape.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
noun
Meaning 12
Whisky distilled in Scotland, especially from malted barley.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable
Examples
Paul has drunk a lot of Scotch.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
13
noun
Meaning 13
Any variety of Scotch.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Examples
My favorite Scotches are Glenlivet and Laphroaig.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
14
noun
Meaning 14
A glass of Scotch.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable
Examples
Gimme a Scotch.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
15
verb
Meaning 15
To cut or score; to wound superficially.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
16
verb
Meaning 16
To prevent (something) from being successful.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The rain scotched his plans of going to the beach.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: foil, put the kibosh on, thwart
Antonyms: none provided
17
verb
Meaning 17
To debunk or discredit an idea or rumor.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The prime minister scotched rumors of his resignation.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: spike
Antonyms: none provided
18
verb
Meaning 18
To block a wheel or other round object.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The workers stopped the rig on an incline and scotched the wheels.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: chock, block
Antonyms: none provided
19
verb
Meaning 19
To dress (stone) with a pick or pointed instrument.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
20
verb
Meaning 20
To beat yarn in order to break up slugs and align the threads.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Qualifier: textile manufacturing
Examples
Yarn is scotched immediately after it has been dried and while it is still warm. http://www.google.com/patents?id=DXdGAAAAEBAJ&pg=PP3&vq=scotched&dq=scotching
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
21
verb
Meaning 21
To clothe or cover up.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
22
verb
Meaning 22
To rape.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Australian, slang, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
of or relating to or characteristic of Scotland or its people or culture or its English dialect or Gaelic language
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
Scots Gaelic
the Scots community in New York
`Scottish' tends to be the more formal term as in `The Scottish Symphony' or `Scottish authors' or `Scottish mountains'
`Scotch' is in disfavor with Scottish people and is used primarily outside Scotland except in such frozen phrases as `Scotch broth' or `Scotch whiskey' or `Scotch plaid'
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Scots, Scottish
Antonyms: none provided
24
adjective satellite
Meaning 24
avoiding waste
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
an economical meal
an economical shopper
a frugal farmer
a frugal lunch
a sparing father and a spending son
sparing in their use of heat and light
stinting in bestowing gifts
thrifty because they remember the great Depression
`scotch' is used only informally
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: economical, frugal, sparing, stinting
Antonyms: none provided
25
noun
Meaning 25
whiskey distilled in Scotland; especially whiskey made from malted barley in a pot still
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Narrower terms: disappoint, let down, dash, short-circuit, ruin
History
Etymology
From Middle English *Scoche (attested in Scocheman, whence Scotchman), a contraction of Scottich, whence Scottish. The chess opening is supposedly named after a correspondence game between Edinburgh, Scotland, and London, England.
From Middle English scocchen (“to cut”), perhaps from Anglo-Norman escocher (“to notch”), from es- (“intensive prefix”) (from Latin ex-) + Old French coche (“notch”). Not related to Scotch.
From 3M's Scotch tape.
Across languages
Translations
100 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Esperanto:
skota
— Scottish
Arabic:
إسكتلندية
(ʔiskutlandiyya)
— Lowland Scots language
Asturian:
escocés
— Lowland Scots language
Catalan:
escocès
— Lowland Scots language
Cherokee:
ᏍᎦᏗ
(sgadi)
— Lowland Scots language
Chinese Mandarin:
低地蘇格蘭語 /低地苏格兰语
(dīdì Sūgélányǔ)
— Lowland Scots language
Czech:
skotština
— Lowland Scots language
Danish:
skotsk
— Lowland Scots language
Esperanto:
skota
— Lowland Scots language
Faroese:
skotskt
— Lowland Scots language
Finnish:
skotti
— Lowland Scots language
Finnish:
skotin kieli
— Lowland Scots language
French:
écossais
— Lowland Scots language
French:
scots
— Lowland Scots language
West-Frisian:
Skotsk
— Lowland Scots language
Galician:
escocés
— Lowland Scots language
German:
Niederschottisch
— Lowland Scots language
German:
Schottisch
— Lowland Scots language
Greek:
σκωτς
(skots)
— Lowland Scots language
Hawaiian:
ʻōlelo Kekokia
— Lowland Scots language
Hindi:
स्कॉट्स
(skŏṭs)
— Lowland Scots language
Irish:
Albainis
— Lowland Scots language
Jamaican Creole:
Skats
— Lowland Scots language
Japanese:
スコットランド語
(sukottorandogo)
— Lowland Scots language
Norwegian Bokmål:
skotsk
— Lowland Scots language
Norwegian Nynorsk:
skotsk
— Lowland Scots language
Occitan:
escocés
— Lowland Scots language
Occitan:
scòts
— Lowland Scots language
Persian:
اسکاتس
(eskâts)
— Lowland Scots language
Polish:
język scots
— Lowland Scots language
Portuguese:
ânglico escocês
— Lowland Scots language
Romanian:
scoțiană joasă
— Lowland Scots language
Russian:
шотла́ндский
— Lowland Scots language
Scots:
Scots
— Lowland Scots language
Scots:
Scotch
— Lowland Scots language
Scottish Gaelic:
Albais
— Lowland Scots language
Scottish Gaelic:
Beurla Ghallta
— Lowland Scots language
Slovak:
škótština
— Lowland Scots language
Spanish:
escocés
— Lowland Scots language
Swedish:
lågskotska
— Lowland Scots language
Swedish:
skotska
— Lowland Scots language
Turkish:
İskoçça
— Lowland Scots language
Welsh:
Sgoteg
— Lowland Scots language
Asturian:
escocés
— dialect
Dutch:
Schots-Engels
— dialect
Greek:
σκοτσέζικα
(skotsézika)
— dialect
Polish:
dialekt szkocki języka angielskiego
— dialect
Asturian:
escoceses
— people of Scotland
Catalan:
escocesos
— people of Scotland
Dutch:
Schotten
— people of Scotland
French:
Écossais
— people of Scotland
Greek:
Σκοτσέζοι
(Skotsézoi)
— people of Scotland
Italian:
scozzesi
— people of Scotland
Polish:
Szkoci
— people of Scotland
Romanian:
scoțieni
— people of Scotland
Spanish:
escoceses
— people of Scotland
Tagalog:
Eskoses
— people of Scotland
Bulgarian:
драскотина
(draskotina)
— a surface cut
Russian:
надре́з
(nadréz)
— a surface cut
Russian:
насе́чка
(naséčka)
— a surface cut
Spanish:
corte
— a surface cut
Spanish:
rasmillo
— a surface cut
Bulgarian:
клин
(klin)
— a block for a wheel or other round object
Czech:
klín
— a block for a wheel or other round object
Czech:
blok
— a block for a wheel or other round object
Czech:
zarážka
— a block for a wheel or other round object
Russian:
тормозно́й башма́к
(tormoznój bašmák)
— a block for a wheel or other round object
Russian:
клин
(klin)
— a block for a wheel or other round object
Chinese Mandarin:
蘇格蘭威士忌 /苏格兰威士忌
(Sūgélán wēishìjì)
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Finnish:
skottiviski
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
French:
scotch
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
German:
Scotch
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Irish:
uisce beatha Albanach
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Irish:
fuisce na hAlban
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Japanese:
スコッチウィスキー
(sukotchiwisukī)
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Korean:
스카치
(seukachi)
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Marathi:
स्कॉच
(skŏc)
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Norwegian Bokmål:
skotsk whisky
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Norwegian Nynorsk:
skotsk whisky
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Polish:
szkocka
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Romanian:
scotch
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Russian:
скотч
(skotč)
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Russian:
шотла́ндский ви́ски
(šotlándskij víski)
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Russian:
шотла́ндское ви́ски
(šotlándskoje víski)
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Tagalog:
eskoses
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Yiddish:
סקאַטש
(skatsh)
— uncountable: whisky made in Scotland
Armenian:
սկոտչ
(skotčʻ)
— any variety of Scotch whisky
Polish:
szkocka
— any variety of Scotch whisky
Tagalog:
eskoses
— any variety of Scotch whisky
Polish:
szkocka
— glass of Scotch whisky
Catalan:
frustrar
— To prevent (something) from being successful
Czech:
zarazit
— To prevent (something) from being successful
Czech:
utnout
— To prevent (something) from being successful
Czech:
zablokovat
— To prevent (something) from being successful
German:
blockieren
— To prevent (something) from being successful
German:
verhindern
— To prevent (something) from being successful
German:
durchkreuzen
— To prevent (something) from being successful
Russian:
пресечь
(presečʹ)
— To prevent (something) from being successful
Russian:
положи́ть коне́ц
(položítʹ konéc)
— To prevent (something) from being successful
Russian:
прекрати́ть
(prekratítʹ)
— To prevent (something) from being successful
