(=strong alcoholic drink) made in Scotland. It is thought of as a typically Scottish product, and there are two main types of Scotch whisky: the less expensive ‘blended (BLEND) whisky’, made from a mixture of SPIRITS, and the more expensive ‘malt whisky’, made from spirit made only from MALT: I’ll have a Scotch on the rocks (=with ice) please.
$  \text{Scotch}^2  $ adj SCOTTISH → see USAGE
Scotch 'broth n' [U] thick soup made from vegetables, meat and BARLEY (=type of grain)
Scotch egg n a boiled egg which is covered with SAUSAGE meat and BREADCRUMBs. Scotch eggs are popular in the UK.
Scotch 'mist n [C, U] thick mist with light rain
pcotch 'pancake n [C] a small round flat cake
Scotch tape AmE trademark sticky thin transparent material used for sticking light things together; SELLOTAPE BrE trademark
Scotch 'whisky n [C;U] SCOTCH
cot-free adj [F] infml without harm, or especially punishment that one deserves: The murderer got off scot-free.
Scotland /'skotlandl'skɑːt-/ a country in the United Kingdom, north of England. Population: 5,062,011 (2001). Capital: Edinburgh. Scotland was an independent country until the Scottish and English parliaments were united by the 'Act of Union' in 1707, and it still has a different legal system and a different education system from the rest of the UK. Scotland has had its own parliament since 1999. It is still part of the UK, but some groups such as the SNP (the Scottish National Party) want Scotland to become an independent country. Scottish Gaelic is still spoken by some people in the northwest of the country and in the islands off the west coast. Scotland is known for its beautiful countryside and its many LOCHs (=lakes), islands, and mountains. When people think of Scotland, they often think of men wearing KILTs (=a sort of skirt of thick woollen cloth, with a TARTAN pattern) and playing the BAGPIPES (=a type of Scottish musical instrument). Products that are thought of as very typical of Scotland include the HAGGIS (=a food in the shape of a ball, made from chopped up sheep's meat and grains) and Scotch WHISKY. The national SYMBOL of Scotland is the THISTLE, and its PATRON SAINT is Saint ANDREW. People from Scotland are called Scots. They are SCOTTISH. → see also DEVOLUTION
cotland, Office, the the British government department responsible for matters such as employment, FOREIGN AFFAIRS, and defence that were not DEVOLVED to the Scottish Parliament when it was established in 1999. The Scotland Office replaced the Scottish Office in that year.
Scotland 'Yard the HEADQUARTERS (=main offices) of the London police, which is officially called New Scotland Yard, and informally called 'the Yard'. Scotland Yard is known especially for its department of DETECTIVES called the CID whose job is to solve very serious or complicated crimes.
$ \left| \text{cots}^1 / \text{skots} \right| \text{ska:ts/ adj Scottish} $
Scots $ ^{2} $ n 1 [U] a DIALECT of the English language traditionally spoken in Scotland. The poems of Robert Burns are an example of Scots. 2 the Scots [plural] the people of Scotland
Scots 'law n [U] → see SCOTTISH LEGAL SYSTEM
Scotsman /'skotsmanl'skats-/ n [C] a man who comes from Scotland
Scotsman, The trademark a serious Scottish daily newspaper
Scots·woman /'skɒts,wumənl'skɑːts-/ n a woman who
comes from Scotland
cott, Captain Robert Falcon /skntlskot, 'robetf:lkanll'ra:bart-/ (1868–1912) an officer in the British navy, often called Scott of the Antarctic, who made two journeys to the Antarctic to try to be the first person to reach the SOUTH POLE. He and his group reached the South Pole in 1912, shortly after the Norwegian EXPLORER Roald AMUND-SEN, but they all died on the way back. His JOURNAL, in which he describes their terrible journey, was discovered a year later. He was the father of Sir Peter SCOTT. → see also DATES, CAPTAIN
cott, George C. (1927-99) a US film actor who played strong determined characters. He was the first actor to refuse to accept an OSCAR, when he won the prize for best actor for his performance in the film Patton in 1970.
Scott, Ridley /'rɪdli/ (1937-) a British film DIRECTOR who works in the US, and whose films include Alien (1979), Blade Runner (1982), and Gladiator (2000).
Scott, Ron·nie /'rɒnɪlˈrɑː-/ (1927–96) a British SAXOPHONE player who started the UK's most famous JAZZ club, Ronnie Scott's, in London
Scott, Sir Peter (1909–89) a British ORNITHOLOGIST (=a scientist who studies birds) and artist, who was the son of Robert Falcon SCOTT. He wrote many books about birds, and he supported or led various organizations that work to protect animals, plants, forests etc, including the WORLD WIDE FUND FOR NATURE
Scott, Sir Walter /'wɒltər/ (1771-1832) a Scottish writer and poet who was one of the most popular British writers of the 19th century. He is best known for his many HISTORICAL NOVELS based on Scottish history, such as ROB ROY, and on old English stories, such as IVANHOE. One of his best known poems is The LADY OF THE LAKE.
Scott Dred → see DRED SCOTT CASE
Scot·tish /'skɒtɪʃ/ adj from Scotland or connected with Scotland: the new Scottish parliament | a village in the Scottish Highlands | a famous Scottish writer
The adjective Scottish can be used to describe a person, place, or thing from Scotland. Scots is usually only used to describe people: a well-known Scots broadcaster. The adjective Scotch is used to describe Scottish products such as meat, wool, or WHISKY but it is offensive if used about a person.
Scottish 'Highlands, the an area with many mountains in the northern half of Scotland → see colour photo on page A42
Scottish 'Legal System, the also Scots Law the system of law in Scotland which is based on CIVIL LAW, and is different from that of England and Wales, although the highest court of law in all three countries is the HOUSE OF LORDS. When laws are made in the British parliament, they do not always become law in Scotland because the legal system is different there.
Scottish 'National ,Party, the full name of the SNP
'Scottish ,Office, the the former name of the Scotland Office
Scottish 'Parliament, the a group of elected politicians that has the power to make laws and increase some taxes in Scotland. It was established in July 1999 after a REFERENDUM in 1997 when the Scottish people voted to have their own parliament. Before that time, the British Parliament in Westminster had made all the decisions about Scotland. The Scottish Parliament can make decisions about matters such as education, farming, health, and justice, but many powers such as FOREIGN POLICY are still held by the British Parliament. → see also DEVOLUTION
'Scottish ,Play, the a name for Shakespeare's play Macbeth used by actors because they believe that it is unlucky to say Macbeth
Scot·ty /'skntɪlˈskɑː-/ also Mr Scott a character in the STAR TREK films and television programmes, known especially for the phrase said to him by the other characters 'BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY' → see BEAM
scoun·drel /'skaundrəl/ n especially tml or old-fash a wicked,
selfish, or dishonest man: an utter scoundrel
SCOUR¹ /skauər / v [T(for)] to go through every part of (an area) thoroughly in search of someone or something: The police are scouring the countryside for the escaped prisoners.
scour² v [T] 1 to clean or remove by hard rubbing with a rough material: to scour dirty pots and pans 2 [(OUT] (of a stream of water) to form by wearing or washing away: Water had scoured out a passage in the soft rock.
scour $ ^{3} $ n [S] an act of scouring
scourer /'skau:rə/ n a tool, especially a small ball of plastic wire or net, for cleaning cooking pots and pans
scourge $ ^{1} $ /skɜːrdʒˈskɜːrdʒ/ n 1 a cause of great harm or suffering; the scourge of war (=war causes great suffering) 2 a whip used formerly for punishment: (fig.) Jack Evans, the self-appointed scourge of the political left