ooch

ooch (third-person singular simple present ooches, present participle ooching, simple past and past participle ooched)

1. To move or slide a small amount; scoot; scooch.
   • 1994, Ralph Moody, The Dry Divide, →ISBN, page 45:

     She didn't really pull away, just ooched over a little, leaving two or three inches between us -- and I liked her better for it.

   • 2001, Chloe Green, Designed to Die, →ISBN, page 3:

     I ooched my car forward.

   • 2002, Chip Martin, The End of the Road: An Anglo-Californian Romance, →ISBN, page 137:

     It was Stephen yet not Stephen whose calloused hand was rubbing her thigh; her skirt was ooched up around her hips – she was on guard as was her habit in those days.

   • 2005, Flo Fitzpatrick, Hot Stuff, →ISBN, page 209:

     Brig ooched his chair next to mine, then casually wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

   • 2017, Donald E. Westlake, Get Real: A Dortmunder Novel, →ISBN:

     So Kelp donned his stethoscope, ooched himself a little further in under the counter, and, while pressing the stethoscope to the face of the safe, began slowly to turn the combination dial.

2. To move in a small or restricted space; squirm or squeeze.
   • 1983, P. J. Petersen, The boll weevil express: a novel, →ISBN, page 117:

     I still got sand stuck between my toes. I can feel it ooching around down there.

   • 1986, California Legislature Special Committee on Medi-Cal Oversight. Subcommittee on Long-term Care, Public hearings, nursing home preadmission screening:

     Mr. Porter is ooching in his chair because we think you're dead wrong on that.

   • 1990, Flying - Volume 117, page 84:

     Now nice, orderly rows of steel legs appeared, spaced apart and forming a low crawl space. Removing my coat, I began ooching under.

   • 2002, Stephanie Mills, Epicurean Simplicity, page 78:

     Dangling head-down from a piece of siding on the house, the caterpillar shed its skin like a fleshy lady ooching out of her panty hose.

   • 2015, Emily Sue Harvey, Space, →ISBN:

     Then my little white-haired mother Jean Eagle ooched in for her hug.

3. To progress or change a little bit or in small increments.
   • 1992, Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, page 2193:

     I mean, come on, unemployment is down for 3 straight months, and that's a good thing. In fact, unemployment claims, even they ooched up a tiny bit now, are for the last 3 or 4 months at all-time lows, which is encouraging in terms of what it says about the fundamentals of this economy.

   • 1999, Charles E. Moore, The Good, the Bad, and the Homely, →ISBN, page 311:

     TV technology always ooched her away from wholesome programs about, for example, seals or giraffes, towards maybe, for heaven's sake, MTV.

   • 2003, Dawn Cusick, Quilt National 2003: The Best of Contemporary Quilts, →ISBN, page 46:

     I am rarely political in my work, but apparently present and proposed military engagements have "ooched" their way into the consciousness of my dye pot.

   • 2003, Helen Baldwin, The Jeffrey Journey, →ISBN, page 181:

     Once Toby was underway, and as the day had ooched forward without further calamity, Randy and Matthew made a quick escape for some necessary errands.

   • 2009, Leland Gregory, Am-Bushed!: More Chronicles of Government Stupidity, →ISBN:

     When your economy is kind of ooching along, it's important to let people have more of their own money.

4. To quietly force to move without drama or noticeable disruption.
   • 1943, Investigation of the progress of the war effort, page United States Congress House Committee on Naval Affairs:

     There is one man I haven't mentioned, who quietlv, without any ostentation at all, circulaled among all the thousands of boys and girls, who had been "ooched" out of Johnsville when the guards were arrested, a fellow by the name of Rifkin.

   • 1960, Deadly to Bed, page 174:

     From what General Slate said, Prettyboy will just get ooched out of Fort Murray and shipped to some nice restful post in Alaska.”

   • 1977, Shelby Foote, September, September, page 204:

     This was a high-class white neighborhood in those days, before the colored ooched them out.

5. To exceed a limit by a small amount.
   • 1953, Buildings, page 29:

     An oocher, according to the The Encyclopedia Erratica, is a motorist who persists in ooching his speed to 35-miles-an-hour in a 30-mile zone. He also is the guy who insists on ooching another drink after the bars close.

   • 2004, Karen Templeton, Hanging by a Thread, →ISBN, page 81:

     No wires to pinch, no straps to slip, no overflow ooching over the sides or between the zipper that refuses to close unless you lie flat on your back and give up breathing.

6. To work toward a goal by using small low-risk steps.
   • 1996, InTech - Volume 43, page 35:

     We have often found that after a short period of "ooching" our way into a new venture, we need to change strategies and goals to take advantage of the new opportunities and markets that present themselves.

   • 2013, Chip Heath & ‎Dan Heath, Decisive: How to make better choices in life and work, →ISBN:

     Given the popularity of this concept, and given the clear payoff involved -- little bets that can improve large decisions, you might wonder why ooching isn't more instinctive.

   • 2016, Gabriela Pereira, DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community, →ISBN:

     I realize that ooching might seem like a stretch for writers. It's one thing for a tech start-up to ooch their software, but it's a different proposition for a writer to ooch a book.

7. (sailing) To propel a boat or sailboard by rocking one's body back and forth.
   • 1977, Yacht Racing - Volume 16, page 46:

     But if you are racing a boat without a chute, especially a single- hander, ooching is usually more effective.

   • 1985, Sail Boarder International - Volume 5, Issue 4, page 75:

     Ooching involves the lower haIf of the body and the board. By pushing the board back and forth in small places, by minimal extension and retraction of the knees, the planing condition can be induced or enhanced.

   • 1989, Anne L. Sirna, Chapwoman's Alwomanac: Pilot Handling Throughout the Year, →ISBN:

     You go below to check on Bud and review the racing rules. Prohibited actions include: sculling, pumping, and ooching.

   • 2016, Bryan Willis -, The Rules in Practice 2017-2020, →ISBN:

     Moving the trunk of the body forward and backwards, even in strong winds, can flap the leech and increase the sail's drive (ooching).

8. To cry out in pain or discomfort.
   • 1993, Debra Fowler & ‎Debra Franklin, Blood Pact, →ISBN, page 29:

     Maybe he was trying to make up for all those crawdads, laughing at her ooching and owwing in that sticker patch.

   • 2000, Billy Bob Hill, ‎Laurie Champion, ‎& Larry L. King, Texas Short Stories 2, →ISBN, page 82:

     One afternoon as Lou ooched across the hot pavement in that awkward transition from the shade to the water, a black bathing suit and a slender arm brushed by him.

   • 2003, Geraldine McCaughrean & ‎Sophy Williams, Treasury of fairy tales, →ISBN, page 141:

     The prison warder brought it — ooching and ouching — flung it in after her, and went away, sucking his stinging fingers.

   • 2006, Beverly Brandt, Match Game, →ISBN, page 270:

     The sun had already warmed the white leather interior to about a thousand degrees, so Savannah ooched and ouched as she slid into the driver's seat.

ooch

1. A cry of pain or discomfort; ouch.
   • 2000, Marva Dowdin, The Blue Wall, →ISBN, page 123:

     “Ooch, mama; ooch, mama; ooch, mama; I promise not to do this anymore!” “I know you won't, believe me; you won't!” “Ooch, mama; ooch, mama; ooch, mama; you are killing me!”

   • 2004, Nina Czitrom, Take a Bow!: Lesson Plans for Preschool Drama, page 12:

     Now tell the children to walk around the room as though they were walking on hot, hot sand. They will want to lift their feet off the floor as quickly as they can because the sand will burn their feet. It adds to the fun to include an "ooch" or an "ouch" to the activity to give them the idea.

   • 2004, Jeffrey Kipnis, Cosmic Redshifted Anthrocentric Worms, →ISBN:

     The leader lunged forward so far that his dagger-pointed nose bumped the invisible man's notepad. "Ooch. That smarts."

   • 2012, Leo McKinstry, Jack Hobbs: England's Greatest Cricketer, →ISBN, page 355:

     With an “ooch', he stretched his legs full length and gave a sigh of relief.

ooch (plural ooches)

1. (obsolete) A brooch set with gems.
   • 1647, John Fletcher, The Woman's Prize, or The Tamer Tamed:

     Nay, more than this: I find, too, and find certain, what gold I have, pearl, bracelets, rings, or ooches, Or what she can desire, gowns petticoats, Waistcoats, embroidered stockings, scarves, cauls, feathers, Hats, five-pound garters, muffs, masks, ruffs, and ribbons, I am to give her for't.

   • 1839 January to July, William E. Burton, “Leaves from a Life in London”, in Burton's Gentleman's Magazine and American Monthly Review, page 159:

     A Grecian bandeau of white satin riband, tied round the head, with two long ends fluttering in the air—a profusion of false curls—a prodigality of glitter in the shape of tinsel, false diamonds, fingers full of rings, with “brooches, pearls, and ooches” innumerable—and the befitting appurtenance of the geese wings—characterized the appearance of these ladies of the corps de ballet.

   • 1910, American Motherhood - Volumes 30-31, page 205:

     Here, also, are the very newest jewelry novelties, ooches, bracelets, purses, vanity boxes, combs—from the world's foremost makers endless variety of fascinating things at prices which make this catalog of special interest to every woman.

2. Something that causes pain or discomfort.
   • 1986, Good Housekeeping - Volume 202, page 415:

     RhuliGel soothes the itches and ooches of summer.

   • 2004, Andrew Collins, Where Did It All Go Right?: Growing Up Normal in the 70s, →ISBN, page 237:

     I had my toe redressed wiv bandage, gauze and plasters. I could tell you how Dr (Simon) Costain plucked the bits of old gauze out of my toe wiv tweezers. Dat's an ooch.

   • 2014, Kev Pickering, Heidi's World, →ISBN:

     Try being the operative word - she managed two hops before the heels got the better of her, and she overbalanced, losing her balance and landing on her hands and knees. “That's an ooch,” Heidi said as Natalie looked up at her. “That's a double ooch,” Cindy added as they watched her pull herself along the floor on her hands and taped knees, until she reached the desk.

3. (sailing) An act of forcing the boat forward by rocking one's body.
   • 1975 -, Yachting - Volume 138, page 154:

     Presumably, this means that one may ooch only to initiate surfing or planing and that, if challenged, one must be prepared to defend one's ooching behavior in light of the conditions and the wave pattern. Potential problems: How many ooches are permitted per wave?

   • 1999 June, Chuck Paine, “Design”, in Yachting, volume 185, number 6, page 56:

     I suspect it will take an ooch or two on the boom to get the upper batten to clear.

4. A small, low-risk step toward a goal.
   • 1996, InTech - Volume 43, page 35:

     To prevent those mistakes from becoming corporate failures, we have created what we call the "ooch approach."

   • 2002, Electronic Business - Volume 28, page 44:

     'Ooch' by ooch, row by row

   • 2013, Chip Heath & ‎Dan Heath, Decisive: How to make better choices in life and work, →ISBN:

     This is a situation that cries out for an ooch, and an obvious one would be to work in a pharmacy for a few weeks.

5. A small amount by which something has moved or changed.
   • 1970, Life - Volume 68, Issues 12-15, page 83:

     "The credit card is inflationary (merchants must be expected to ooch prices a bit to compensate for their kickbacks to the banks)." My question: How much is an "ooch"?

• 'choo, Choo, choo, coho