Sc. Forms: α. 7–8 quech, 7, 9 queich, 8– quegh, 9 quaigh, quaich, (quoich). β. 8 quaff, queff, coif. [a. Gael. cuach cup, OIr. cúach, prob. ad. L. caucus (Gr. καῦκα), whence also W. cawg. The β-forms are peculiar, as there is no general tendency in Sc. to substitute f for ch.] A kind of shallow drinking-cup formerly common in Scotland, usually made of small wooden staves hooped together and having two ears or handles, but sometimes fitted with a silver rim, or even made entirely of that metal.
α. 1673. Acc. Bk. Sir J. Foulis (1894), 14. A quech weighting 18 unce and 10 drop.
1697. Inv., in Scott. N. & Q. (1900), Dec., 90/2. Thrie round queichs without lugs.
1715. Pennecuik, Descr. Tweeddale, etc. II. 71. A great Quech, which they were made to Drink out of.
1808. Scott, Marm., III. xxvi. The quaighs were deep, the liquor strong.
1849. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., II. 61. Passing a cooper’s shop … I stept in and bought two little quaighs.
1884. Q. Victoria, More Leaves, 142. A silver quaich out of which Prince Charles Edward had drunk.
attrib. 1703. Inv., in Scott. N. & Q. (1900), Dec., 90/2. A big quech cup with three lugs.
β. 1711. Ramsay, On Maggy Johnstoun, ix. Sae brawly did a pease-scon toast Biz i’ the queff.
c. 1730. Burt, Lett. N. Scotl. (1818), I. 157. It is often drank before it is cold out of a cap, or coif, as they call it; this is a woodden dish [etc.].
1771. Smollett, Humph. Cl., 3 Sept. The spirits were drunk out of a silver quaff.
