scotch

noun

1. A surface cut or abrasion.
2. A line drawn on the ground, as one used in playing hopscotch.
3. A block for a wheel or other round object; a chock, wedge, prop, or other support, to prevent slipping.

   “a scotch for a wheel or a log on inclined ground”

   “He was like the scotch in the smooth, happy machinery of the home. And he was always aware of this fall of silence on his entry, the shutting off of life, the unwelcome.”

   “In December, 1949, the Ashby to Worthington section of the former Midland Railway Ashby branch was divided into two portions by the insertion of a scotch block at Ticknall Siding, which requires both the tablet from Worthington and wooden staff from Ashby to unlock it and permit through working.”

   “The cars are positioned and secured solely by simple scotches pegged into the decking of the vehicle and easily movable; [...].”

4. (alt-of, alternative, countable, uncountable)Alternative form of Scotch (“whisky”).

   “A waiter brought his aperitif, which was a small scotch and soda, and as he sipped it gratefully he sighed.”

5. (uncountable)Scotch tape.
6. (uncountable)Whisky distilled in Scotland, especially from malted barley.

   “Paul has drunk a lot of Scotch.”

7. (countable)Any variety of Scotch.

   “My favorite Scotches are Glenlivet and Laphroaig.”

8. (countable)A glass of Scotch.

   “Gimme a Scotch.”

verb

1. (transitive)To cut or score; to wound superficially.

   “We have scotched the snake, not killed it.”

2. (transitive)To prevent (something) from being successful.

   “The rain scotched his plans of going to the beach.”

3. (transitive)To debunk or discredit an idea or rumor.

   “The prime minister scotched rumors of his resignation.”

   “Other declassified files from the 1960s show that the Northern Ireland government discussed a proposed tunnel to Scotland. Several district councils and a US firm, Technical Studies Inc, championed the idea, but Stormont officials scotched it as impractical and too expensive.”

4. (transitive)To block a wheel or other round object.

   “The workers stopped the rig on an incline and scotched the wheels.”

   “The pantechnicon was running away. It had perceived the wrath to come and was fleeing. Its guardians had evidently left it imperfectly scotched or braked, and it had got loose.”

5. (transitive)To dress (stone) with a pick or pointed instrument.
6. (transitive)To beat yarn in order to break up slugs and align the threads.

   “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”

7. (obsolete, transitive)To clothe or cover up.
8. (Australian, slang, transitive)To rape.

adj

1. (alt-of, alternative)Alternative form of Scotch (“Scottish”)
2. (dated, not-comparable)Of or from Scotland; Scottish.

   “Behind all his assumed unsocialism there lay a true warm heart; nor could anything be kindlier than the welcome which, whenever they did come to him, any of his Scotch relatives received.”

   “our landlord informed us, with a sort of apologetic tone, that there was a Scotch gentleman to dine with us.”

name

1. (dated)The Scots language.

   “But Rob was just saying what a shame it was that folk should be shamed nowadays to speak Scotch – or they called it Scots if they did, the split-tongued sourocks!”

2. (dated)The Scottish dialect of English.
3. (dated)The people of Scotland.

   “The Scotch are a hardy bunch.”

4. (informal)The opening 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4.

   “Karpov played the Scotch against Anand.”