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fleeching

Dialect
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Coaxing, wheedling, or flattering; using persuasive or ingratiating speech to win favour.

Detailed Definition
"Fleeching" appears in the line about fairs and preaching where "nae wooing, nae fleeching" occurs, meaning no romantic pleading or flattery takes place. The term carries a sly, intimate tone—often used in courtship where a young man tries to charm a lass. In Scots literary tradition, it appears in comic and romantic contexts, but here its absence signals the death of all amorous pursuit. The word's soft 'ch' sound and double vowel give it a sly, slithering quality, fitting its meaning. By including it, Elliot emphasises that even the subtlest, most personal forms of human connection have ceased, deepening the sense of total social paralysis.
Example
Example in poetry:
fleeching|"He ne'er can lout,' I musing said, 'To ply the fleeching, fawning trade" (from a poem) uses "fleeching" to condemn flattery and servility, portraying it as a debasing occupation unworthy of an honest man.; "The wily wife fleech'd, and the laird didna see The smile on her cheek thro' the tear in her e'e" (from a poem) uses "fleeching" to describe manipulative, insincere coaxing, where a wife's tears hide a calculating smile.; "I went unto her mother, and I argued and I fleech'd, I spak o' love and honesty, and mair and mair beseech'd" (from a poem) uses "fleeching" in a romantic context, where the speaker pleads and wheedles to win his beloved's hand.; "At fair, or at preaching, nae wooing, nae fleeching" (Jean Elliot, "A Lament for Flodden") lists "fleeching" alongside "wooing" to show that all forms of romantic persuasion have ceased, leaving only silence and grief.
Additional Notes
"Fleeching" is a wonderfully specific Scots term that describes the art of coaxing, wheedling, or flattering someone to win their favour, often in romantic or manipulative contexts. The word carries a sly, insinuating quality, suggesting that the speaker is deploying charm and persuasion in a calculated way. In Elliot's "A Lament for Flodden," the absence of "fleeching" at fairs and preachings signals that even the most subtle, intimate forms of persuasion have vanished along with the young men. The term is particularly common in courtship poetry, where a young man might "fleeche" a lass to win her affection, using flattery and gentle pleading. For students, understanding "fleeching" involves recognising its slightly negative connotations—it implies a certain cunning or artifice, unlike the more straightforward "wooing." The word's soft 'ch' sound and double vowel give it a slippery, insinuating quality that matches its meaning. In teaching, contrasting "fleeching" with "wooing" can illuminate how Scots vocabulary often distinguishes between different shades of romantic pursuit. The word appears in Burns's work and in various folk songs, often in comic contexts where the speaker's flattery is exposed as somewhat ridiculous. Its presence in Elliot's lament adds a layer of specificity to the catalogue of losses, showing that even the subtle arts of persuasion have been silenced by grief.
Also Known As
Fleech Fleechin Fleeching-gab (smooth talker) Fleeching tongue Fleechment Fleech and fawn Fleeching-craft Fleeching-words
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