Puts an end to something; stops or blocks a plan or idea; or whiskies from Scotland.
The verb 'scotch' likely comes from 'notch' or 'scar,' meaning to disable—popularized by Shakespeare. The whisky sense simply denotes origin from Scotland.
When someone 'scotches' a rumor, they're cutting it off—the word comes from the old practice of literally cutting or slashing to disable something, like hamstringing a horse.
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