rottackn.
/ˈrɒtək/, U.S. /ˈrɑdək/, Scottish English /ˈrɔtək/ Scottish after 15th cent. Now rare.
Something decayed or musty; (figurative) rubbish, nonsense.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > corruption or putridness > [noun] > corrupt or putrid matter or thing
filthOE
carrion1297
putrefactionc1425
pourriture1494
rottacka1500
corruption1526
septic1597
toad-pool1607
putrification1619
grave-jelly1657
putrilage1657
putrilency1657
putredo1680
putridity1790
putrescence1843
the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > [noun] > mouldy or musty condition > a musty thing
rottacka1500
a1500 (c1400) St. Erkenwald (1977) l. 344 (MED) Alle the blee of his body wos blakke as þe moldes, As roten as þe rottok þat rises in powdere.
1806 R. Jamieson Pop. Ballads I. 293 Now a' their gear and ald rottacks Had faun to young Hab o' the Heuch. [Gloss. ‘Old musty corn. Literally, the grubs in a bee-hive.’]
a1888 T. Anderson in D. H. Edwards Mod. Sc. Poets (1891) 14th Ser. 164 He'd sic routh o' auld rotticks was left by his daddy.
1999 R. Wright Sci. Romance (rev. ed.) iii. 274 A lot of rottack. Ah've looked at it a dizzen times and it still means zip tae me.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2011; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.a1500