scotch

a slight surface cut (especially a notch that is made to keep a tally)

whiskey distilled in Scotland; especially whiskey made from malted barley in a pot still

hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge"; "foil your opponent"

make a small cut or score into

of or relating to or characteristic of Scotland or its people or culture or its English dialect or Gaelic language; "Scots Gaelic"; "the Scots community in New York"; "`Scottish' tends to be the more formal term as in `The Scottish Symphony' or `Scottish authors' or `Scottish mountains'"; "`Scotch' is in disfavor with Scottish people and is used primarily outside Scotland except in such frozen phrases as `Scotch broth' or `Scotch whiskey' or `Scotch plaid'"

avoiding waste; "an economical meal"; "an economical shopper"; "a frugal farmer"; "a frugal lunch"; "a sparing father and a spending son"; "sparing in their use of heat and light"; "stinting in bestowing gifts"; "thrifty because they remember the great Depression"; "`scotch' is used only informally"