1
- with obj. decisively put an end to结束; 破除：
a spokesman has scotched the rumours.
一位发言人已经辟谣。
1.1
- archaic render (something regarded as dangerous) temporarily harmless〈古〉暂时遏制（危险物）：
feudal power in France was scotched, though far from killed.
法国的封建势力被挫败了, 虽然还远没有被置于死地。
2
- with obj. and adverbial wedge (someone or something) somewhere楔入：
he soon scotched himself against a wall.
很快他紧紧地靠在墙上。
2.1
- with obj. archaic prevent (a wheel or other rolling object) from moving or slipping by placing a wedge underneath〈古〉用楔子楔住（轮子等滚动物体）。
- archaic a wedge placed under a wheel or other rolling object to prevent it moving or slipping〈古〉楔子, 制动楔, 制动垫块。
词源
early 17th cent. (as a noun)：of unknown origin; perhaps related to SKATE1. The sense 'render temporarily harmless' is based on an emendation of Shakespeare's Macbeth Ⅲ. ii. 13 as 'We have scotch'd the snake， not kill'd it'， originally understood as a use of SCOTCH2; the sense 'put an end to' （early 19th cent.） results from the influence on this of the notion of wedging or blocking something so as to render it inoperative.