notch

[noch]

noun

1. an angular or V -shaped cut, indentation, or slit in an object, surface, or edge.

2. a cut or nick made in a stick or other object for record, as in keeping a tally.

3. New England and Upstate New York.,  a deep, narrow opening or pass between mountains; gap; defile.

4. Informal.,  a step, degree, or grade.

   This camera is a notch better than the other.

5. Metallurgy.,  a taphole in a blast furnace.

   iron notch; cinder notch.

verb (used with object)

1. to cut or make a notch in.

2. to record by notches.

   He notched each kill on the stick.

3. to score, as in a game.

   He notched another win.

notch

/ nɒtʃ /

noun

1. a V-shaped cut or indentation; nick

2. a cut or nick made in a tally stick or similar object

3. a narrow pass or gorge

4. informal,  a step or level (esp in the phrase a notch above )

verb

1. to cut or make a notch in

2. to record with or as if with a notch

3. informal,  (usually foll by up) to score or achieve

   the team notched up its fourth win

Other Word Forms

• notchy adjective
• unnotched adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of notch¹

1570–80; a notch (by false division) for an *otch < Old French oche notch

Word History and Origins

Origin of notch¹

C16: from incorrect division of an otch (as a notch ), from Old French oche notch, from Latin obsecāre to cut off, from secāre to cut

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. notch up / down, to move up or down or increase or decrease by notches or degrees.

   The temperature has notched up another degree.

see take down a notch.

Example Sentences

AMD’s stock notched a record close on Oct.

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Mbappe has four assists, with the other two notching three each.

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Halliday made sure the innings didn’t lose momentum, cashing in on the platform to notch up a fluent 69 featuring five fours and a six.

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Her ever-present smile and the sparkle in her eyes were trademarks as she cheered on an unheralded underdog team that notched upset after upset before falling in the semifinals.

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The Internal Revenue Service on Thursday released a batch of annual tax-code adjustments, including the income ranges needed to notch the preferential tax rate on capital gains.

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Related Words

• rung