Now dial. Forms: (4 tass), 5–6 tatch, 6–7 tach(e, 7– Sc. tash. [a. F. tacher, OF. tachier to stain, soil, f. tache, TACHE sb.1] trans. To stain or taint, esp. with moral defilement, or with the imputation of guilt or shameful conduct; to stigmatize; rarely (quot. 1541), to infect physically. Obs. or Sc. dial.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 242. The wyde world merveileth yit, That he [Solomon] … With fleisshly lustes was so tassed [rhyme passed].
1495. Trevisa’s Barth. De P. R., VI. v. (W. de W) m v b. Al chyldern ben tatchyd wyth euyll maners.
1502. Atkynson, trans. De Imitatione, III. xxxiv. 223. What shall I say, that am tached thus with tribulacions.
1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Chirurg., Q ij b. To be scalled, or tached with suche infecte dyseases, or that he bere some tache vpon hym.
1596. Warner, Alb. Eng., X. lviii. Otherwise a worthy Prince, nor tache we him but so. Ibid., XI. lxv. (1612), 280. Though she did obserue his soone Reuolt … And him thereof had tacht.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, II. i. 28. Infamous, or tatched with foule crimes.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Hist. Jas. V., Wks. (1711), 104. At the least to leave him suspected and tached with this treason.
1747. in Ann. Gen. Assemb. Ch. Scot. (1838), 105. His character ought not to be tashed.
1827. J. Watt, Poems, 101 (E.D.D.). Their frien’s gat word an’ gather roun’ Determin’d sair to tease an’ tash.
b. To blemish, deface; to tarnish or spoil slightly by handling or use; to make the worse for wear; tashed, tarnished, worn, weather-beaten. Sc.
17[?]. in Ritson, Sc. Songs (1794), I. 214. They’re tashed like, and sair torn, And clouted sair on ilka knee.
1863. Alex. Smith, Dreamthorp, 18. They [books] are tashed as roses are tashed by being frequently handled or smelt.
1895. W. C. Fraser, Whaups, xiii. 189. An indoor face, no tashed wi’ the weather, but sair blotched wi’ the dram.
1903. Glaiser, in Co-op. News, 16 May, 567 (E.D.D.). If thet isna Miss Thorpe’s new body slip…. Go and get it off afore yo’ tash it any worse.
