Focal an Lae #236
The Word of the Day in Irish
Word: caoch (KWEEKH) [kiːx]
Meaning: caoch = blind; to blind, daze, wink
Usage:
- Bhí siad caoch ar meisce. (VEE SHEE-uhd KWEEKH ehr MEHSH-kyuh) [v′iː s′iːəd kiːx er′ m′es′k′ə] = They were blind drunk.
- clós caoch (KLOHS...) [kloːs ...] = blind alley
- Chaoch sí orm. (KHWEEKH shee O-ruhm) [xiːx s′iː orəm] = She winked at me.
History: Old Irish “caech” (one-eyed) and Welsh “coeg” (empty, blind) come from Indo-European *kaiko- (one-eyed).
A learned English cognate is “caecum” (blind gut), from Latin “caecus” (blind).
Scottish Gaelic: caoch