▪ I. linch, n.1 Obs. exc. in Comb.
(lɪnʃ)
Forms: α. 1 lynis, 4 lins, 5 lynce, 4, 8–9 dial. lince. β. 6 linche, 9 linch.
[OE. lynis masc. = OS. lunisa fem. (Du. luns, lens, late MHG. luns, lunse, mod.G. lünse). A shorter form lin (? OE. *lyne:—*luni-) corresponding to OHG. lun fem., mod.G. dial. lunn, lon, appears in lin-nail and linpin.]
† 1. = linch-pin. Obs.
| a 700 Epinal Gloss. 8 Axedones, lynisas. c 1000 Ags. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 267/29 Axedo, lynis. c 1315 Shoreham iv. 223 (E.E.T.S.) Þer-fore me makeþ prynses Þe host to gouerni, And ase whewelen þe linses To-gadere heldeþ hy. 1497 Naval Acc. Hen. VII (1896) 84 Boltes forlokkes kayes lynces and a taile pynne for the said Curtowe. |
† b. Naut ? A belaying-pin. Obs.
| 1549 Compl. Scot. vi. 41 Haile the linche and the scheitis. |
2. Comb.: † linch-box, ? = axle-box; linch-clout (see quot.); linch-drawer dial., a tool for drawing out linch-pins; linch-hoop, ‘a ring on the spindle of a carriage-axle, held in place by the linch-pin’ (Cent. Dict.). Also linch-pin.
| 1711 Lond. Gaz. No. 4935/4 One other sort with both Edges Cyphered off, commonly call'd the Lince-box. 1782 Rees's Cycl., Linch-clout, in Artillery, the flat iron under the ends of the arms of an axle-tree to strengthen them, and diminish the friction of the wheels. 1892 Auctioneer's Catal. Farm Sale (Kent), Lince drawer and grease pots. |
▪ II. linch, n.2 dial.
(lɪnʃ)
Also 9 lynch, lince.
[repr. OE. hlinc: see link n.1]
A rising ground; a ridge; a ledge, esp. one on the side of a chalk down; an unploughed strip serving as a boundary between fields.
| 1591 in Wiltsh. Archæol., etc., Mag. VI. (1860) 195 There leadinge westwarde..to a linche; there contynuinge the same linch to Maddington Waie. 1670 Blount Glossogr. (ed. 3), Linch (Sax.), a Bank, Wall, or Causey between land and land, or Parish, and Parish, to distinguish the bounds. 1787 Survey in N.W. Linc. Gloss. s.v., The lands in the fields are called dales and the linches or green strips on each side are called marfurs or meerfurrows. 1797 W. G. Maton West. Counties II. 186 Those singular natural terraces..the linches or linchets, as they are called. 1883 Seebohm Eng. Village Community i. 5 A..peculiar feature of the open field system in hilly districts is the ‘lynch’. Ibid. 6 These banks between the plough-made terraces are generally called lynches, or linces. 1895 Edin. Rev. Apr. 350 ‘Linches’ naturally formed by the action of the plough on a hillside. |
▪ III. linch, v.1 Obs. exc. Sc.
intr. To limp.
| 1570 Levins Manip. 134/34 To linche, claudicare. 1825–80 in Jamieson. |
▪ IV. † linch, v.2 Obs.
[? Cf. link v.2]
intr. ? To prance. Only in ppl. a.
| 1593 Hollyband Fr. Dict., s.v. Coquelineux, Cheval Coquelineux, a linching horse. |
▪ V. linch, v.3
(lɪnʃ)
[f. linch n.1]
trans. To fasten with or as with a linch-pin.
| 1898 Visct. Dillon in Archæol. Jrnl. Ser. ii. V. 313 The pasguard is also linched on a pin standing out of the elbow-piece. |
▪ VI. linch
variant of linge dial., to beat.