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Wiktionary

ooch

See also: Ooch

English

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WOTD – 15 January 2024

Etymology 1

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The verb is possibly a variant of scooch or scoot, or an onomatopoeia representing the movement. The noun is possibly derived from the verb.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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ooch (third-person singular simple present ooches, present participle ooching, simple past and past participle ooched) (informal)

  1. (transitive)
    1. (also reflexive) To move or slide (oneself or someone, or something) by a small amount.
      • 2001 June, Chloe Green [pseudonym; Suzanne Frank], chapter 1, in Designed to Die, New York, N.Y.: Kensington Books, →ISBN, page 3:
        I ooched my car forward. In Dallas, tailgaiting is an art. You have to protect your place in traffic, or some yahoo will sneak in before you. So you have to drive two inches away from the bumper in front of you.
      • 2002, Chip Martin, chapter 2, in The End of the Road: An Anglo-Californian Romance, London: Starhaven, →ISBN, book 2 (Destiny’s Darling), page 137:
        It was Stephen yet not Stephen whose calloused hand was rubbing her thigh; her skirt was ooched up around her hips – she was on guard as was her habit in those days.
      • 2005 April, Flo Fitzpatrick, chapter 27, in Hot Stuff, New York, N.Y.: Zebra Books, →ISBN, page 209:
        Brig ooched his chair next to mine, then casually wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
      • 2009 July, Donald E[dwin] Westlake, chapter 45, in Get Real, New York, N.Y.: Grand Central Publishing, →ISBN, page 263:
        So Kelp donned his stethoscope, ooched himself a little further in under the counter, and, while pressing the stethoscope to the face of the safe, began slowly to turn the combination dial.
    2. (also reflexive, figurative) To cause (oneself or someone, or something) to change or progress by a small amount or in small increments.
      • 1953, Buildings, volume 53, Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Stamats Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 29, column 1:
        An oocher, according to the The Encyclopedia Erratica, is a motorist who persists in ooching his speed to 35-miles-an-hour in a 30-mile zone. He also is the guy who insists on ooching another drink after the bars close.
      • 1970 March 27, Paul O’Neil, “A Little Gift from Your Friendly Banker”, in Ralph Graves, editor, Life, volume 68, number 11, Chicago, Ill., New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 58, column 3:
        The credit card is inflationary (merchants must be expected to ooch prices a bit to compensate for their kickbacks to the banks), even though it is responsible for only 2% of today's $98.2 billion in consumer debt.
      • 2000, Charles E. Moore, “The Best Toast”, in The Good, the Bad, & the Homely […], New York, N.Y.: Ardor Scribendi, →ISBN, pages 311–312:
        TV technology always ooched her away from wholesome programs about, for example, seals or giraffes, towards maybe, for heaven's sake, MTV.
      • 2003, “The Quilts [Jan Myers-Newbury, Cat’s Game]”, in Dawn Cusick, editor, Quilt National 2003: The Best of Contemporary Quilts, New York, N.Y.: Lark Books, Sterling Publishing, →ISBN, page 46:
        I am rarely political in my work, but apparently present and proposed military engagements have "ooched" their way into the consciousness of my dye pot.
      • 2016, Gabriela Pereira, “Generate Ideas on Demand”, in Rachel Randall, editor, DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community, Cincinnati, Oh.: Writer’s Digest Books, →ISBN, page 52:
        I realize that ooching might seem like a stretch for writers. It's one thing for a tech start-up to ooch their software, but it's a different proposition for a writer to ooch a book. After all, writing a book takes a long time. How do you iterate on a novel when the first draft alone might take years?
    3. (figurative) To force (someone or something) to move without noticeable disruption or opposition; to nudge.
      • 1943 October 26, Frederick Riebel, Jr., witness, “Testimony of Frederick Riebel, Jr., Ex-President, Brewster Aeronautical Corporation; Production Consultant, Material Group, Production Division, Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy—Resumed”, in Investigation of the Progress of the War Effort: Hearings before a Subcommittee Appointed to Investigate Causes of Failure of Production of Brewster Aeronautical Corporation under Its Contracts with the Navy: Committee on Naval Affairs, House of Representatives, Seventy-eighth Congress, First Session: Pursuant to H. Res. 30: A Resolution Authorizing and Directing an Investigation of the Progress of the War Effort […], volume 4 (Brewster Investigation), Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, published 1944, →OCLC, page 2636:
        There is one man I haven't mentioned, who quietly, without any ostentation at all, circulated among all the thousands of boys and girls, who had been "ooched" out of Johnsville when the guards were arrested, a fellow by the name of Rifkin.
      • 1977, Shelby Foote, “What Went Down”, in September September, New York, N.Y., Toronto, Ont.: Random House, →ISBN, page 204:
        This was a high-class white neighborhood in those days, before the colored ooched them out.
  2. (intransitive)
    1. To move or slide by a small amount; to scooch, to scoot.
      • 1963, Ralph Moody, “Judy’s Story”, in The Dry Divide, New York, N.Y.: W[illiam] W[arder] Norton & Company, →OCLC, page 45:
        She didn't really pull away, just ooched over a little, leaving two or three inches between us—and I liked her better for it.
      • 2004 November, Karen Templeton, chapter 5, in Hanging by a Thread, Don Mills, Ont.: Red Dress Ink, →ISBN, page 81:
        All a guy has to do is yank on a T-shirt or a sweatshirt or something and he's done. No wires to pinch, no straps to slip, no overflow ooching over the sides or between the zipper that refuses to close unless you lie flat on your back and give up breathing.
      • 2015, Emily Sue Harvey, Space, [United States]: The Story Plant, →ISBN:
        Then my little white-haired mother Jean Eagle ooched in for her hug.
    2. To move around in a restricted or small space; to squeeze, to squirm.
      • 1983, P. J. Petersen, chapter 10, in The Boll Weevil Express […], New York, N.Y.: Delacorte Press, →ISBN, page 117:
        I still got sand stuck between my toes. I can feel it ooching around down there.
      • 1986, Connelly, chairman, Public Hearings: Nursing Home Preadmission Screening—Program or Promise?: Transcript […], Sacramento, Calif.: Subcommittee on Long-term Care, Special Committee on Medi-Cal Oversight, California State Legislature, →OCLC:
        Yes, Mr. Porter is ooching in his chair because we think you're dead wrong on that.
      • 1990 August, Gordon Baxter, “The Bax Seat: The Indy 600”, in J. Mac McClellan, editor, Flying, volume 117, number 8, New York, N.Y.: Diamandis Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 111, column 2:
        Obsessed now with the idea that I had to retrieve those papers, I went around to the end of the platform, shoved aside the two low wooden steps, and peered under. Now nice, orderly rows of steel legs appeared, spaced apart and forming a low crawl space. Removing my coat, I began ooching under. I could see my papers leaning against the wall. Ooch, reach, got 'em!
      • 2002, Stephanie Mills, “The Others”, in Epicurean Simplicity, Washington, D.C.: Shearwater Books, Island Press, →ISBN, page 78:
        Dangling head-down from a piece of siding on the house, the caterpillar shed its skin like a fleshy lady ooching out of her panty hose.
    3. (figurative) To change or progress by a small amount or in small increments; to nudge.
      • 1992 October 29, George Herbert Walker Bush, “Remarks to the South Wayne County Chamber of Commerce in Southgate, Michigan”, in Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, volume 28, number 44, Washington, D.C.: Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration, published 2 November 1992, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 2193, column 2:
        I mean, come on, unemployment is down for 3 straight months, and that's a good thing. In fact, unemployment claims, even they ooched up a tiny bit now, are for the last 3 or 4 months at all-time lows, which is encouraging in terms of what it says about the fundamentals of this economy.
      • 1996, James Truchard, InTech: The International Journal for Measurement and Control, volume 43, Research Triangle Park, N.C.: Instrument Society of America, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 67, column 2:
        We have often found that after a short period of "ooching" our way into a new venture, we need to change strategies and goals to take advantage of the new opportunities and markets that present themselves.
      • 2000, Billy Bob Hill, Laurie Champion, editors, Texas Short Stories 2, Dallas, Tex.: Browder Springs Books, →ISBN, page 82:
        One afternoon as Lou ooched across the hot pavement in that awkward transition from the shade to the water, a black bathing suit and a slender arm brushed by him.
      • 2002 October 4, George W[alker] Bush, “Remarks at a Reception for Gubernatorial Candidate Mitt Romney in Boston, Massachusetts”, in Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, volume 38, number 40, Washington, D.C.: Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration, published 7 October 2002, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 1689, column 2:
        Let me tell you my thoughts about tax relief. When your economy is kind of ooching along, it's important to let people have more of their own money.
      • 2003, Helen Baldwin, chapter 75, in The Jeffrey Journey, Victoria, B.C.: Trafford Publishing, →ISBN, page 181:
        Once Toby was underway, and as the day had ooched forward without further calamity, Randy and Matthew made a quick escape for some necessary errands.
      • 2013, Chip Heath, Dan Heath, Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work, New York, N.Y.: Crown Business, Crown Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 140:
        The "ooching" terminology is our favorite, but we wanted to be clear that these groups are all basically saying the same thing: Dip a toe in before you plunge in headfirst. Given the popularity of this concept, and given the clear payoff involved—little bets that can improve large decisions—you might wonder why ooching isn't more instinctive.
    4. (figurative) To force to move without noticeable disruption or opposition.
      • 1960, Don Tracy, Deadly to Bed (Permabooks; M4176), New York, N.Y.: Pocket Books, →OCLC, page 174:
        From what General Slate said, Prettyboy will just get ooched out of Fort Murray and shipped to some nice restful post in Alaska.
    5. (sailing) To propel a boat or sailboard by rocking one's body back and forth.
      • 1977, Yacht Racing, volume 16, Chicago, Ill.: One-Design Yachtsman, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 46, column 2:
        But if you are racing a boat without a chute, especially a single-hander, ooching is usually more effective.
      • 1985, Sail Boarder International, volume 5, number 4, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.: Surfer Publishing Group, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 75:
        Ooching involves the lower haIf of the body and the board. By pushing the board back and forth in small places, by minimal extension and retraction of the knees, the planing condition can be induced or enhanced.
      • 1989, Anne Lorimer Sirna, ChapWoman’s Alwomanac: Pilot Handling throughout the Year, Camden, Me.: Seven Seas Press, →ISBN, page 34:
        You go below to check on Bud and review the racing rules. Prohibited actions include: sculling, pumping, and ooching.
      • 2013, Bryan Willis, “Means of Propulsion”, in The Rules in Practice: 2013–2016, Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley Nautical, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 84:
        Moving the trunk of the body forward and backwards, even in strong winds, can flap the leech and increase the sail's drive (ooching).
Translations
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(intransitive) to propel a boat or sailboard by rocking one’s body back and forth

Noun

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ooch (plural ooches) (informal)

  2. A small amount by which something has changed or moved.
    Synonyms: scooch, skoosh, skosh; see also Thesaurus:modicum
    • 1970 April 17, Robert N. Hood, “Letters to the Editors: Credit Cards”, in Ralph Graves, editor, Life, volume 68, number 14, Chicago, Ill., New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 27, columns 1–2:
      "The credit card is inflationary (merchants must be expected to ooch prices a bit to compensate for their kickbacks to the banks)." My question: How much is an "ooch"? Also, as I am one of the benighted ones who cut up and junked the card, shouldn't I be entitled to an "ooch" discount on a cash basis or on a first-of-the-month basis?
  3. (figurative) A small change or small amount of progress.
    • 1996, InTech: The International Journal for Measurement and Control, volume 43, Research Triangle Park, N.C.: Instrument Society of America, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 35:
      To prevent those mistakes from becoming corporate failures, we have created what we call the "ooch approach."
    • 2002, James Truchard, quotee, “Electronic Business”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), volume 28, Highland Ranch, Colo.: Cahners Publishing Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 44, column 3:
      ‘Ooch’ by ooch, row by row [letter title] […] "We used what I call the ‘ooch’ approach for getting the business going," says Truchard. To "ooch" things means to sort of inch them along, taking small, incremental steps, while avoiding unnecessary risks, he explains.
    • 2013, Chip Heath, Dan Heath, Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work, New York, N.Y.: Crown Business, Crown Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 137:
      Think about a student, Steve, who has decided to go to pharmacy school. […] He's placing a huge bet on paltry information. This is a situation that cries out for an ooch, and an obvious one would be to work in a pharmacy for a few weeks.
  4. (sailing) An act of propelling a boat or sailboard forward by rocking one's body.
    • 1975, Yachting, volume 138, page 154:
      Presumably, this means that one may ooch only to initiate surfing or planing and that, if challenged, one must be prepared to defend one's ooching behavior in light of the conditions and the wave pattern. Potential problems: How many ooches are permitted per wave?
    • 1999 June, Chuck Paine, “Design”, in Yachting, volume 185, number 6, page 56:
      I suspect it will take an ooch or two on the boom to get the upper batten to clear.
Translations
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act of propelling a boat or sailboard forward by rocking one’s body

Etymology 2

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The interjection and noun are probably variants of ouch.[1] The verb is probably derived from the interjection, or also from ouch (verb).

Pronunciation

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Interjection

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ooch

  1. A cry of discomfort or pain: ouch.
    • 2000, Marva L. Dowdin, chapter 7, in The Blue Wall, Lincoln, Neb.: Writers Club Press, iUniverse, →ISBN, page 123:
      My mother must have whipped me for almost half an hour, even though it seemed like eternity. […] "Ooch, mama; ooch, mama; ooch, mama; I promise not to do this anymore!" / "I know you won't, believe me; you won't!" / "Ooch, mama; ooch, mama; ooch, mama; you are killing me!"
    • 2004, Nina Czitrom, Take a Bow! Lesson Plans for Preschool Drama (Smith and Kraus Instructional Books for Teachers), Hanover, N.H.: Smith and Kraus, →ISBN, page 12:
      Now tell the children to walk around the room as though they were walking on hot, hot sand. They will want to lift their feet off the floor as quickly as they can because the sand will burn their feet. It adds to the fun to include an "ooch" or an "ouch" to the activity to give them the idea.
    • 2004, Jeffrey F. Kipnis, “A New Initiative”, in Cosmic Redshifted Anthrocentric Worms: The Adventures of Lightning Squirrel, Lincoln, Neb.: iUniverse, →ISBN:
      The leader lunged forward so far that his dagger-pointed nose bumped the invisible man's notepad. "Ooch. That smarts."
    • 2012, Leo McKinstry, “‘It was Too Much for Jack’”, in Jack Hobbs: England’s Greatest Cricketer, London: Yellow Jersey Press, Random House, →ISBN, page 355:
      With an "ooch", he [Jack Hobbs] stretched his legs full length and gave a sigh of relief.
Translations
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Noun

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ooch (plural ooches)

  1. (informal) Something that causes discomfort or pain; an ouch.
    • 2004, Andrew Collins, “Diary, 1979”, in Where Did It All Go Right?: Growing Up Normal in the 70s, London: Ebury Press, →ISBN, page 237:
      I had my toe redressed wiv bandage, gauze and plasters. I could tell you how Dr (Simon) Costain plucked the bits of old gauze out of my toe wiv tweezers. Dat's an ooch.
    • 2014, Kev Pickering, Heidi’s World, Morrisville, N.C.: Lulu.com, →ISBN:
      Try being the operative word – she managed two hops before the heels got the better of her, and she overbalanced, losing her balance and landing on her hands and knees. "That's an ooch," Heidi said as Natalie looked up at her. "That's a double ooch," Cindy added as they watched her pull herself along the floor on her hands and taped knees, until she reached the desk.
Translations
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Verb

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ooch (third-person singular simple present ooches, present participle ooching, simple past and past participle ooched)

  1. (intransitive) To cry out in discomfort or pain; to ouch.
    • 1993 September, Debra Franklin, chapter 1, in Blood Pact (Scream; 1), New York, N.Y.: Z*Fave Books, Kensington Publishing Corp., →ISBN, page 29:
      Maybe he was trying to make up for all those crawdads, laughing at her ooching and owwing in that sticker patch.
    • 2003, Geraldine McCaughrean, Sophy Williams, “The Thirteenth Child”, in Oxford Treasury of Fairy Tales, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 141:
      As Snow-Rose was led away to a prison cell to await her death at dawn, she made signs that she wanted her bundle of sewing. The prison warder brought it—ooching and ouching—flung it in after her, and went away, sucking his stinging fingers.
    • 2005 October, Beverly Brandt, chapter 23, in Match Game, New York, N.Y.: Berkley Sensation, Berkley Publishing Group, →ISBN, page 250:
      She tossed her bag into the back [of the car] and pulled open the driver's side door. The sun had already warmed the white leather interior to about a thousand degrees, so Savannah ooched and ouched as she slid into the driver's seat.
Translations
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Etymology 3

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See ouche.[2]

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ooch (plural ooches)

  1. (obsolete except historical or poetic) Alternative spelling of ouche (“a brooch or clasp for fastening a piece of clothing together, especially when set with jewels or valuable”)
    • 1839 March, William E[vans] Burton, “Leaves from a Life in London. No. VI. Coralie, the Coryphee.”, in William E. Burton, editor, Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine and American Monthly Review, volume IV, number III, Philadelphia, Pa.: William E. Burton, […], →OCLC, pages 158–159:
      A Grecian bandeau of white satin riband, tied round the head, with two long ends fluttering in the air—a profusion of false curls—a prodigality of glitter in the shape of tinsel, false diamonds, fingers full of rings, with “brooches, pearls, and ooches” innumerable—and the general befitting appurtenance of the geese wings—characterized the appearance of these ladies of the corps de ballet.

References

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  1. ^ Compare “ouch, int.1 and n.”, in OED Online  ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2023; “ouch, excl.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
  2. ^ “ouche, n.”, in OED Online  ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2023; “ouche1, n.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Anagrams

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Yucatec Maya

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Proto-Mayan *ooʼhch.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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ooch

  1. opossum

Derived terms

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References

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  • Academia de la Lengua Maya de Yucatán, A. C. (2003) Diccionario maya popular: Maya-español, español-maya (in Spanish), →ISBN, page 160: “OOCH”
  • Barrera Vásquez, Alfredo et al. (1980) Diccionario maya Cordemex: Maya-español, español-maya (in Spanish), Mérida: Ediciones Cordemex, page 593: “OCH”
  • Beltrán de Santa Rosa María, Pedro (1746) Arte de el idioma maya reducido a succintas reglas, y semilexicon yucateco (in Spanish), Mexico: Por la Biuda de D. Joseph Bernardo de Hogal, page 177: “Zorro. Och.”
  • Montgomery, John (2004) Maya-English, English-Maya (Yucatec) Dictionary & Phrasebook, New York: Hippocrene Books, Inc., →ISBN, page 69: “ooch”
  • Pío Pérez, Juan (1866–1877) Diccionario de la lengua maya (in Spanish), Mérida de Yucatán: Imprenta literaria, de Juan F. Molina Solís, page 255: “OCH: zorrillo. Ooch nac u talel, viene paso á paso como gato ó zorro.”
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