▪ I. squitch, n.
(skwɪtʃ)
[Altered form of quitch n.1 See also scutch n.3]
1. Couch-grass, Triticum repens; = couch n. 2.
| 1785 Young's Annals Agric. IV. 415 A small close,..fuller I think of squitch than any field I had ever seen before. 1805 Dickson Pract. Agric. I. 564 Couch, or what in many districts is better known by the name squitch, is a weed that is highly injurious to wheat crops. 1851– in general dial. use (E.D.D.). 1885 Pall Mall G. 26 May 5/1 The time to burn rubbish is after the stubbles have been broken up, and the land cleaned of squitch and other weed. |
| attrib. 1846 Landor Exam. Shaks. Wks. II. 265 Two or three crops a year of that rank squitch-grass which it has become the fashion of late to call the people. |
2. Applied to other plants of similar growth or habit, esp. to certain species of Agrostis (see quots.).
| 1792 Young's Ann. Agric. XVII. 38 Squitch, Agrostis vulgaris. 1796 Withering Brit. Pl. (ed. 3) II. 131 The 2d. 3d. and 4th [varieties of Agrostis alba], constitute the greater part of what is called squitch in light arable lands. In some places it is called white squitch, to distinguish it from the Agrostis nigra, and stolonifera, which are called black squitch, or couch. 1866 Treas. Bot. 1090/1 Squitch,..Agrostis stolonifera. |
▪ II. squitch, v.1 Now dial.
Also 6 squich.
[Variant of quitch quetch v.]
† 1. intr. To move suddenly and quickly; to flinch or wince. Obs.
| 1570 Marr. Wit & Sci. v. iii, Mark how he from place to place will squich. 1592 Soliman & Pers. iv. ii. 24 They lopt a collop of my tendrest member. But thinke you Basilisco squicht for that? |
2. trans. To twitch or jerk (away).
| 1680 Honest Hodge & Ralph 23 Do'st mind how he squitches the Church of England away too? calling it that Church that is rude to the Saints. 1880 Cornwall Gloss. 55 Squitch, to twitch; to jerk out of one's hand. |