▪ I. heugh, heuch, n. Sc. and north. dial.
(hjux)
Forms: 4 hogh, 5 hough, 5–6 hewch, (5 huwe, 6 hew, hewche, heuche, huche), 5– heuch, 7– heugh, (9 dial. heuf).
[Sc. (and north Eng.) repr. of ME. hōgh, OE. hóh, f. ablaut grade hanh- of hang v. (cf. Goth. faurahâh curtain). Cf. hoe n.1, how n.2; also, for form, cleuch, clough; and, for later phonology, Sc. beuch, bew = bough.]
1. A precipitous or hanging descent; a craggy or rugged steep; a precipice, cliff, or scaur; most commonly, one overhanging a river or the sea.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 15826 (Gött.) And rugged him vnrekinli bath ouer hil and hogh [Cott. ogh, Fairf. scogh, Trin. slowȝe; rime wogh]. Ibid. 22202 (Cott.) Ouer hogh to lepe his hals to brek [so Gött., altered in others]. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. vii. iv. 93 The Kyng..Oure a Hewch gert cast hym downe, Doggis til ete his caryowne. Ibid. viii. xxxviii. 92 Sum flede downe oure þe Hwe. c 1450 St. Cuthbert (Surtees) 5549 Him thoght þat abouen þat hough he and his men lay sure ynogh. 1513 Douglas æneis i. iv. 13 To se the hewis on ather hand is wondir. 1549 Compl. Scot. vi. 39 Vndir ane hingand heuch I herd mony hurlis of stannirs ande stanis that tumlit doune. 1597 Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 37 Euery blome on branche and bewch..hang their heidis out ouir the hewch. 1609 Skene tr. Quon. Attach. c. 48 §10 (Jam.) Gif an wylde or head strang horse caries ane man..over ane craig, or heuch. a 1796 Burns Song, ‘Simmer's a Pleasant Time’, The water rins o'er the heugh. 1815 Scott Guy M. xxvi, From the top of a heugh or broken bank, [he] enjoyed the scene much more to his satisfaction. 1876 Whitby Gloss., Heuf, or Heugh, a steep hill-side. 1894 Crockett Raiders 39 The most part of us were out on the heuchs, looking to seaward. |
2. A glen or ravine with steep overhanging braes or sides; a cleuch.
| c 1450 Henryson Mor. Fab. 27 Then was hee blyth, and in ane heuch him hid. 1549 Compl. Scot. vi. 40 Al..cryit..as it hed bene ecco in ane hou heuch. 1753 Stewart's Trial 203 At the foot of the heugh (or deep hollow place) of Corrynakeigh in Koalifnacoan, he heard a whistle. 1801 Leyden Gloss. to Compl. Scot. |
3. The steep face of a quarry or other excavation (quarry heugh); an excavation for coal, originally open; a coal-pit; fig. a pit.
| 1592 [see coal-heugh]. 1592 Early Rec. Min. Scot. (1878) 65 That his gracis subjectis micht hawe a securitie to tak thair hewis. 1785 Burns Addr. to Deil iii, Tho' yon lowin heugh's thy hame, Thou travels far. 1808–25 in Jamieson. |
4. Comb. heughman, a miner, collier.
| 1819 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd (1827) 11 The Dysart heughmen left their places O' darkness now, and wash't their faces. |
▪ II. heugh, int.
Also 7 heuk.
An exclamation of surprise; hollo! (Cf. hewgh, whew.)
| 1668 G. Etherege She Would if She Could ii. ii, Heuk! sly girl and madcap, to 'em, to 'em, to 'em, boys, alou! 1852 W. Anderson Expos. Popery (1878) 128 Heugh! Cardinal! revealed at last! 1890 W. A. Wallace Only a Sister? 176 Heugh! What a fellow I am! I never asked her what she was doing here! |