different between scotch vs squelch

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /sk?t?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /sk?t?/
• Rhymes: -?t?

Etymology 1

From Middle English scocchen (“to cut”), perhaps from Anglo-Norman escocher (“to notch”), from es- (“intensive prefix”) (from Latin ex-) + Old French coche (“notch”). Not related to Scotch.

Noun

scotch (plural scotches)

1. A surface cut or abrasion.
2. A line drawn on the ground, as one used in playing hopscotch.
3. A block for a wheel or other round object; a chock, wedge, prop, or other support, to prevent slipping.
   • 1913, D.H. Lawrence, Sons and Lovers, chapter 4

     He was like the scotch in the smooth, happy machinery of the home. And he was always aware of this fall of silence on his entry, the shutting off of life, the unwelcome.

Derived terms

• hopscotch

Translations

Verb

scotch (third-person singular simple present scotches, present participle scotching, simple past and past participle scotched)

1. (transitive) To cut or score; to wound superficially.
2. (transitive) To prevent (something) from being successful.

   Synonyms: foil, put the kibosh on, thwart

3. (transitive) To debunk or discredit an idea or rumor.

4. (transitive) To block a wheel or other round object.

   Synonyms: chock, block

   • 1911, Arnold Bennett, The Card: A Story of Adventure in the Five Towns, London: Methuen Publishing, OCLC 492063506; republished Toronto, Ont.: William Briggs, 1910s, OCLC 225424669, page 69:

     The pantechnicon was running away. It had perceived the wrath to come and was fleeing. Its guardians had evidently left it imperfectly scotched or braked, and it had got loose.

5. (transitive) To dress (stone) with a pick or pointed instrument.
6. (transitive, textile manufacturing) To beat yarn in order to break up slugs and align the threads.

   Yarn is scotched immediately after it has been dried and while it is still warm. [1]

7. (transitive, obsolete) To clothe or cover up.

Translations

Etymology 2

Adjective

scotch (comparative more scotch, superlative most scotch)

1. Alternative form of Scotch (“Scottish”)

Noun

scotch (countable and uncountable, plural scotches)

1. Alternative form of Scotch (“whisky”)

Etymology 3

From 3M's Scotch tape.

Noun

scotch (uncountable)

1. Scotch tape

Verb

scotch (third-person singular simple present scotches, present participle scotching, simple past and past participle scotched)

1. (transitive, Australian rhyming slang) To rape.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sk?t?/

Etymology 1

From English scotch.

Noun

scotch m (plural scotchs)

1. scotch (whisky)

Etymology 2

From 3M's Scotch tape. Genericized trademark.

Noun

scotch m (uncountable)

1. Scotch tape, sticky tape

   Synonyms: papier collant, ruban adhésif

Derived terms

• scotcher

Further reading

• “scotch” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?sk?t??/

Noun

scotch m (invariable)

1. scotch (whiskey)
2. adhesive tape

   Synonym: nastro adesivo

English

Etymology

Unknown. Perhaps a blend of squash +? quell +? quench. Compare also English squolsh, English squoosh.

Pronunciation

• (UK, General American) IPA^(key): /?skw?lt?/
• Rhymes: -?lt?

Verb

squelch (third-person singular simple present squelches, present participle squelching, simple past and past participle squelched)

1. (transitive, US) to halt, stop, eliminate, stamp out, or put down, often suddenly or by force

   Even the king’s announcement could not squelch the rumors.

   • Oh 'twas your luck and mine to be squelched.

   • If you deceive us you will be squelched.

2. (transitive, radio technology) to suppress the unwanted hiss or static between received transmissions by adjusting a threshold level for signal strength, below which the signal is suppressed by applying a gain of zero, and above which a positive (and linear from zero) gain is applied.
3. (intransitive, Britain) to make a sucking, splashing noise as when walking on muddy ground

   The mud squelched underfoot; it had been raining all night.
4. (intransitive, Britain) to walk or step through a substance such as mud

   The mud was thick and sticky underfoot, but we squelched through it nonetheless.

Synonyms

• (to halt): quash

Translations

Noun

squelch (countable and uncountable, plural squelches)

1. (countable) A squelching sound.
2. (radio technology) The suppression of the unwanted hiss or static between received transmissions by adjusting the gain of the receiver.
3. (countable, dated) A heavy blow or fall.
4. (countable, music) A kind of electronic beat used in acid house and related music genres.
   • 1998, Colin Larkin, The Virgin Encyclopedia of Dance Music (page 91)

     Through a process of experimentation the 'acid squelch' sound came forth, which was recorded and passed on to DJ Ron Hardy to play at his Warehouse club.

Derived terms

• break squelch
• squelchy

Translations