Sc. and north. dial. Forms: 6, 9 lache, 6–7 letch, 8–9 lach, 9 latch, leach. [? f. OE. lęccan vb.; see LEACH v.2, and cf. LEACH sb.2] A stream flowing through boggy land; a muddy ditch or hole; a bog. Also, see quot. 1781.
1138. Newminster Cartul. (Surtees), 9. De cruce ad crucem in Appeltreleche.
1570. Levins, Manip., 5/43. A Lache, lacus.
1598. Mem. St. Giles’ Durh. (Surtees), 26. Paid for scowringe of the bridge letch, ijd.
1607. Markham, Caval., VI. (1617), 10. A rotten ground full of letches.
c. 1630. Scot. Pasquil, 8. At euery river, spring, or letch, I drinke.
1781. J. Hutton, Tour to Caves, Gloss., Lyring and lach, a gutter washed by the tide on the sea shore.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xxiii. Withershins’ latch … a narrow channel, through which soaked, rather than flowed, a small stagnant stream.
b. transf. A pool (of blood).
1868. B. Brierley, Irkdale, viii. 163. He found that instrument to be broken in several fragments, one of which lay in a ‘leach’ of blood.
