usquebaugh
(ˈʌskwɪbɔː)
Forms: α. 6 vskebeaghe, 7 vsque-ba'he, vskebah (uskkiba), 7–9 usquebah (7 usquabah), 7 vsquebach; 7 vsque-, 7– usquebagh, 7 vsce-, usce-, uskabagh; 6 vscough-, 7– usquebaugh. β. 7 vsque-, usque-, husquo-, uskebath. γ. (Chiefly Sc.) 6 iskie-bae, 7 usquebay, 8–9 usquebae (8 usquabae).
[a. Irish and Sc. Gaelic uisge beatha (uisci-betha in Ann. Loch Cé, an. 1405), lit. ‘water of life’ (cf. aqua-vitæ), f. uisge water, and beatha life. The latter word is differently pronounced in Irish and Scottish Gaelic, approximately (bɑː) and (bɛː). Cf. whiskybae.]
= whisky n.1
With α-forms, in very freq. use from c 1610.
| α 1581 J. Derricke Image Ireland F ij, She filles them then with Vskebeaghe. 1600 Sir R. Cecil Lett. (Camden) 33 Remember..the Lord Threasurer with a couple of pugges or some vscough baugh. 1610 Beaum. & Fl. Scornf. Lady ii. i, A bottle of Usquebaugh. 1658 Roland tr. Moufet's Theat. Ins. 913 The Irish prepare a distilled Oenomeli made with Honey, Wine and some herbs, which they cal Vsquebach. 1682 Lond. Gaz. No. 1776/4 There is right Irish Usquebagh to be sold..at the Rein-Deer in Tuttle-street,..By one from Ireland. 1706–7 Farquhar Beaux' Strat. i. i, An honest Gentleman that came this way from Ireland, made her a Present of a dozen bottles of Usquebaugh. 1762 Foote Orators iii. 61 Usquebaugh..is an exhilirator of the bowels, and a stomatic to the head. 1818 Hazlitt English Poets vii. 260 The last long precious draught of his favourite usquebaugh. 1882 M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal I. iv. 118, I wonder whether she had a strong brogue, and a sneaking fondness for usquebaugh. |
| attrib. 1630 Randolph Aristippus 24 Are you there you Vsquebaugh Rascall, with your Metheglin iuyce? |
| β 1621 S. Ward Life of Faith 33 Vsing it [sc. faith] as Vsquebath and strong Waters for swones and heart qualmes onely. 1681 T. Dineley Jrnl. Tour Irel. in Trans. Kilkenny Archaeol. Soc. Ser. ii. II. 25 As thou did not want Usquebath Oat cakes,..How is it then that thou diedst? 1713 Tyldesley Diary (1873) 117 Hee gave us two drames of uskebath. |
| γ 1583 Leg. Bp. St. Androis 1062 And George Gipsones iskie bae Had all the wyte he womit sae. a 1689 W. Cleland Poems (1697) 12 A Tupe Horn fill'd with Vsquebay. 1715 Ramsay Christ's Kirk Gr. ii. viii, Another gill Of usquebae. 1791 Burns Tam O'Shanter 108 Wi' usquabae, we'll face the devil! 1819 Scott Leg. Montrose iv, A flask of usquebæ, designed for the refreshment of Lord Menteith. 1840 R. Bremner Excurs. Denmark, etc. II. 211 Morning drinkers of usquebae. |