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notch

Pronunciation: /nɒtʃ/

The English word “notch” has 15 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A V-shaped cut.
  2. Such a cut, used for keeping a record.
  3. An indentation.
  4. A mountain pass; a defile.
  5. The female primary sex organ, vulva.
  6. A woman.
  7. A discontinuous change in a taxation schedule.
  8. A level or degree.
  9. A portion of a mobile phone that overlaps the edge of the screen, used to house a camera, sensors etc. while maximizing screen space.

verb

  1. To cut a notch in (something).
  2. To record (a score or similar) by making notches on something.
  3. To join by means of notches.
  4. To achieve (something); to add to one's score or record of successes.
  5. Synonym of nock (“to fit (an arrow) to a bow”).
  6. To change in small graduations.

Etymology

Recorded since 1577, probably a rebracketing of an otch, from Middle French oche (“notch”), itself from the Old French verb ochier (“to notch”), of uncertain origin, but possibly related to French hocher and English nick (“small cut, notch”).

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.