▪ I. splotch, n.
(splɒtʃ)
Also 7 sploch, sploach.
[Of obscure origin; perh. merely imitative.]
A large irregular spot or patch of light, colour, or the like; a blot, smear, or stain. Also fig.
| 1601 Holland Pliny II. 266 Betonie is a soueraigne herbe..for the blacke sploches that haue continued a long time vpon the skin. 1673 Wycherley Gentl. Dancing-Master v. i, Thou spot, sploach of my family and blood! 1683 Moxon Mech. Exerc., Printing xxiv. ¶10 If..the Leather..be Black and White in Splotches. 1755 Gentl. Mag. XXV. 373 See, from thy bite rise blister'd blotches, And from thy ordure filthy splotches. 1812 Sir R. Wilson Priv. Diary (1862) I. 247 During my progress, the carter's nose twice froze in splotches as big as half-a-crown. 1863 M. E. Braddon Eleanor's Vict. I. v. 111 The leaves were crumpled, and smeared with stains and splotches of grease. 1885 A. Brassey The Trades 145 Their dark-brown leaves, covered with bright splotches of red and yellow. |
▪ II. splotch, v.
(splɒtʃ)
[f. prec.]
trans. To cover with splotches; to splash or stain in patches.
| 1654 Gayton Pleas. Notes iii. ii. 71 The bumps in his flesh, which was like a bruised Pig (but not so white), splotch'd all over. 1863 Trevelyan Compet. Wallah (1866) 219 He splotches his turban with pink paint. 1880 L. Wallace Ben-Hur iv. iii. 176 In places black moss splotched the otherwise bald stones. |