▪ I. ouch, n.1
(aʊtʃ)
Forms: α. 4–5 nouche, 5–6 nowche, (5 noych(e, 6 knowch). β. 4–5 uche, 4–6 ouche, 5–6 owche, (5 oyche), 6– ouch.
[ME. and AF. nouche = OF. nouche, noche, nosche, nusche, in ONF. noske, nosque:—late L. nusca, a. OHG. nuscka, nuscha, MHG. nuske, nusche buckle, clasp. App. of Celtic origin: cf. OIr. nasc ring, nasgaim I knit, tie, Gael. nasg seal. The form ouch has arisen from the erroneous ME. division of a nouche as an ouche (cf. an other, a nother, also adder, newt).
Scarcely in living use since 1600; but known in the Bible and earlier literature; often vaguely or unintelligently used by later writers, as if = gem, jewel, precious ornament.]
1. A clasp, buckle, fibula, or brooch, for holding together the two sides of a garment; hence, a clasped necklace, bracelet, or the like; also, a buckle or brooch worn as an ornament (the chief meaning in later times). (Such nouches or ouches were often set with precious stones, whence sense 2.)
| α 1382 Wyclif 1 Macc. x. 89 And he sente to him a golden lase [gloss or nouche], as custome is for to be ȝouen to cosyns of kyngus. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame iii. 260 And they were set as thik of nouchis. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 39 The Nouches and the riche ringes. 1439 E.E. Wills (1882) 118 (Countess of Warwick), I woll my sone..haue myn oyche with my grete diamond, and my Noych with my Baleys. 1476 Sir J. Paston in P. Lett. III. 162 The ryche saletts, heulmetts, garters, nowchys gelt, and alle is goone. 1562 Lanc. Wills (1857) i. 181 Two knowches of gold for a cap. [1843 Lytton Last Bar. i. ix, I went yesterday to attend my Lord of Warwick with some nowches and knackeries.] |
| β c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xxviii. (Margaret) 15 Men bryngis It [‘margaret’] of ful fare land, for til enhorne vchis & cronis,..& set it in bruchis & in ryngis. 1494 Househ. Ord. (1790) 120 The Kinge must..lay it aboute his necke & claspe it before with a riche owche. 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1684) II. 44 Adorned and decked with most rich and precious Ouches and Brouches. 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 295 Presentyng unto him this precious Owch to set on his cappe. 1611 Florio, Castóne,..a brouch or ouch. 1658 Phillips, An Ouch, a collar of Gold..it is called a brooch. 1720 Stow's Surv. (1754) II. v. x. 278/2 Such were Owches, Brooches, Agglets. 1848 Lytton Harold i. i, White was the upper tunic clasped on his shoulder with a broad ouche or brooch. |
2. The gold or silver setting of a precious stone.
(Usually, however, a brooch or buckle so regarded.)
| 1481 Caxton Myrr. i. v. 25 The Cock..demandeth not after the ouche or gemme, but had leuir haue somme corn to ete. 1531 Elyot Gov. iii. xxx, As a precious stone in a ryche ouche. 1551 Bible Exod. xxviii. 11 After the worcke of a stonegrauer..shalt y{supu} graue the ii. stones..and shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold. 1652 Urquhart Jewel Wks. (1834) 241 An asteristick ouch, wherein were inchased fifteen several diamonds. 1737 Whiston Josephus, Wars vii. v. §5 Precious stones..some set in crowns of gold, and some in other ouches. |
† 3. transf. A carbuncle or other tumour or sore on the skin. Obs.
| 1612 Chapman Widowes T. in Dodsley O. Pl. (1780) VI. 145 Up start as many aches in's bones, as there are ouches in his skin. |
† 4. ‘The blow given by a boar's tusk’ (J.). Obs.
| 1736 Ainsworth Thesaurus, The ouches a boar maketh, ictus apri dente factus. |
▪ II. ouch, n.2
see ouch int.1
▪ III. ouch, v.1
(aʊtʃ)
[f. ouch n.1]
trans. To set or adorn with, or as with, ouches; to spangle.
| 1610 J. Guillim Heraldry iii. i. (1611) 191 He beareth Luna, a mantle of estate, Mars..ouched or garnished with strings fastened thereunto. 1892 Henley Song of Sword, etc. Lond. Volunt. i. 59 A lamplit bridge ouching the troubled sky. |
▪ IV. ouch, v.2
[Cf. next.]
intr. To utter an exclamation or sound represented by ‘ouch’.
| 1654 Gayton Pleas. Notes iv. ii. 176 But harke Sancho Pancas Runs Ouching round the mountaine like a ranck-Asse, Braying for's Company. 1898 Westm. Gaz. 18 Apr. 2/1 You ‘ouch’ audibly..and sit down on the floor to meditate. |
▪ V. ouch, int.1
(aʊtʃ)
[a. Ger. autsch, a cry of pain.]
An exclamation expressing pain or annoyance. Also as n.2
| 1838 J. C. Neal Charcoal Sk. 38 ‘Ouch!’ shrieked Dabbs; ‘my eye, how it hurts!’ 1843 ‘R. Carlton’ New Purchase I. ii. 9 The tiers becoming all vocal with ‘bless my soul's’—‘my goodnesses!’—and vulgar ‘ouches!’ 1886 in Let. fr. Pennsylvanian Correspondent, Ouch, that hurts. Ouch, don't strike me. 1918 Galsworthy Five Tales 235 Freda gurgled: ‘Ouch! You are a beast!’ 1958 R. Godden Greengage Summer v. 56 ‘Ouch!’ said Joss and looked as if she would be sick again. 1972 D. Delman Sudden Death (1973) iv. 110 ‘Ouch,’ she said, grinning. ‘Ouchie-wowchie. Well, that tears that, doesn't it?’ |
▪ VI. ouch, int.2
(aʊx)
A representation of the short bark of a dog.
| 1899 Crockett Kit Kennedy 160 ‘Ouch! Get on’, Royal said..‘don't keep me waiting’. |