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 Words From

• notchy adjective
• un·notched 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.

More idioms and phrases containing notch

see take down a notch .

Example Sentences

A win would notch the Beatles’ eighth Grammy, 60 years after the group’s first in 1965.

From Los Angeles Times

The first available results from the tiny town of Dixville Notch, N.H., which traditionally votes at midnight on election day, were flashed throughout the day.

From Los Angeles Times

Wade and the constitutional right to an abortion, it is now widely credited with helping Democrats notch wins in the 2022 midterms.

From Los Angeles Times

“We practiced hard at Georgia, we take game reps at practice, so now it’s just transitioning over here and continuing that, but taking it to another notch.”

From Los Angeles Times

He was roughly one notch left of center.

From Slate

Related Words

• rung