Fratching

[leahbee]

Thinking about my mother today. When we were children and were arguing she used to tell us to ' stop fratching '. I have not heard his word in years and can't find it in my dictionary, not even sure if I have go the spelling right. Has anyone heard of this expression, or is it a Yorkshire slang word.
Thank out.

[frugalfred]

A dispute, a quarrel; a fight or brawl; To argue, to quarrel; to fight
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fratch

[chrisgel]

Keep using it because it's an endangered word apparently.
http://www.funnelbrain.com/c-50140-fratching.html

I must admit I've never heard of it before but I'm going to add it to my list of words to use when I'm telling the grandkids off.

[leahbee]

Thank you very much I am amazed at his quick you trace these things.
I too think that it's a nice word and should be kept and will use it now whenever I can.

[gness]

Skelp was a threatening word I grew up with, Leah...not as nice and it scared me.

[heathfield]

Perhaps from the same origin as 'fractious'...

http://www.google.co.uk/#bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&fp=eb1551c29386c3f7&;q=fractious

As for Gness's 'skelp', a stroke or blow with a flat object, or a slap or smack with the open hand. perhaps from Scottish Gaelic 'sgealb' = thin strip of wood.
Round my way, a splinter in a finger is also referred to as 'a skelp'.

[gness]

Which is why it scared me, Heathfield...:-)

You also fascinated with word origins?

[heathfield]

Yep, love English and the origins of its words, Lowland Scots too, since it's reckoned to be closer to Anglo Saxon than is present-day English, e.g. 'Hame' for 'home'.

[gness]

I grew up in an Irish home with many Scottish neighbours...From a child the words they slipped into the English language fascinated me.... and it's an ever growing subject too...I see the definition of literally has been changed so I can now literally die with laughter....:-)

[Buenchico]

The OED records 'fratch' (meaning to disagree, quarrel or scold) as first being recorded in 1714. The etymology is uncertain but possibly onomatopoeic.

'Fractious' seems to have changed its meaning over the years. The original etymology is derived from 'fraction' (meaning the action of breaking) but the OED concedes that "the more trivial use now current may be due to association with fratch", thus adding substantial credence to Heathfield's theory.