▪ I. ˈscutching, vbl. n.1
[f. scutch v.1 + -ing1.]
The action of scutch v.1
| 1611 Cotgr., Singlement,..a whisking, lashing, ierking, scutching. 1641 R. Baillie Lett. & Jrnls. (Bannatyne Cl.) I. 326 Discourse falling in concerning the Deputie's scutching of a gentleman with a rod. 1641 Hinde J. Bruen xi. 36 Not to be fierce and furious..in immoderate..scutching and lashing. 1962 H. G. Green Time to pass Over xii. 142 I'll damn well have to give you a scutching for this. |
▪ II. scutching, vbl. n.2 (
ˈskʌtʃɪŋ)
[f. scutch v.2] 1. The action of
scutch v.
2; the process of beating flax stalks to get rid of the straw and prepare the fibre for hackling; the similar operation applied to hemp, cotton, silk, etc.
| 1733 P. Lindsay Interest Scot. 159 There must be at every Mill, besides the Boys that attend the breaking and scutching of the Mill, at least, two or three skilful Flax-dressers. 1766 Compl. Farmer s.v. Hemp A 3/1 After the hemp has been broken, it undergoes a second operation, which is commonly termed swingling or scutching. 1836 L. Hebert Engin. & Mech. Encycl. I. 539 The hand methods of breaking and scotching of flax. 1844 G. Dodd Textile Manuf. i. 26 This process called ‘scutching’, or ‘batting’ or ‘blowing’—is effected in various ways:—The cotton is laid [etc.]. 1851–4 Tomlinson's Cycl. Usef. Arts (1867) I. s.v. Hemp, The after processes of scutching and heckling [sc. hemp and flax] are likewise similar. 1875 [see blowing vbl. n.1 1 b]. 1902 [see dropping vbl. n. 5 b]. 1931 S. A. G. Caldwell Preparation & Spinning of Flax Fibre i. i. 15 The old method of scutching by hand has now given place to mill scutching. 1937 W. E. Morton Introd. Study of Spinning i. iv. 84 It is the essential purpose of scutching to remove only the boon and the bark. 1973 Times 7 May 11/5 One particularly alarming process, scutching, was always done by hand, and I am surprised that a whole generation of Ulstermen have any fingers uncrushed, for to scutch you feed a hank of flax under the karate-chop action of a wooden propeller! |
| concr. 1887 Jamieson Suppl., Scutchings, Scutchins, refuse lint or flax that remains after the process of scutching; waste tow. |
2. attrib., as
scutching apparatus,
scutching arm,
scutching barrel,
scutching blade,
scutching board,
scutching machine,
scutching mill,
scutching season;
scutching knife, a tanner's tool (
cf. scutch v.
2 2);
scutching shaft, in a cotton mill, the revolving shaft which carries the first beater;
scutching-stock, the support on which the flax or hemp is placed in a scutching machine;
scutching-sword, a scutch-blade;
scutching tow, the refuse of flax after scutching.
| 1812 Sir J. Sinclair Syst. Husb. Scot. ii. App. 48 The wheels and *scutching apparatus. |
| 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 346 This last fan is suppressed in many blowing machines, as the *scutching arms supply a sufficient stream of air. |
| Ibid., In the figure we see the feed-cloth, the *scutching barrel, the squirrel suction [etc.]. |
| 1973 L. Russell Everyday Life Colonial Canada ix. 111 A *scutching blade, a wooden tool shaped like a butcher's knife. |
| 1854 Delamer Flax & Hemp 66 The écouche-pied, or *scutching-board. |
| 1688 Holme Armoury iii. 350/2 Instruments belonging to the Tanners Trade; the first is a *scutching Knife. 1969 E. H. Pinto Treen 301 Old Irish, Scottish and English scutching knives are usually plain and straight bladed. |
| 1837 Penny Cycl. VIII. 95/1 The *scutching machine is used to open the locks of cotton and separate its fibres. 1839 Scutching machine [see blowing-machine s.v. blowing vbl. n.1 5]. 1901 T. Thornley Cotton Spinning I. iii. 75 The rollers..are seldom used on any scutching machines. |
| 1847 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. VIII. 457 The growers, after having steeped their flax at home, send it to some *scutching-mill to be dressed. |
| 1851–4 Tomlinson's Dict. Usef. Arts (1867) I. 452/2 The *scutching-shaft, makes 2,000 turns per minute. |
| 1771 Encycl. Brit. II. 604/2 This sloping stroke is got by raising the *scutching-stock some inches higher than the centre of the axle. |
| 1875 Knight Dict. Mech. 2079 Scutching is performed with the *scutching sword a held in the right hand. |
| 1853 Ure Dict. Arts (ed. 4) I. 789 The yield was 187 lbs. of flax; and of *scutching tow, 12 lbs. 6½ oz. fine. |