[prob. a. F. boucher to plug.]
1. trans. To insert into (a cannon) the metal plug in which the vent is drilled: see BOUCHE sb.3, BUSH sb.2 Hence Bouching vbl. sb.
1781. Phil. Trans., LXXI. 264. If these pieces were bouched with iron … they would stand fire.
1862. F. Griffiths, Artil. Man., 52. Bouching a gun is fixing a pure copper vent into it.
† 2. (See quot.) Obs. rare.
1721. Bailey, Bouched him, stopped his mouth. O. Phrase.
