Vauch

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. To talk proudly and at length about one's own achievements or possessions, in the manner of an old Scots boaster
2. To brag or display self-importance by loudly praising oneself or one's belongings
3. To make a loud, showy claim of one's own worth, standing or accomplishments in front of others

Etymology: Behind this verb lies the Latin adjective "vanus," meaning empty or futile, the same root that gave English "vain." Through Late Latin "vanitare," the idea of emptiness became the idea of showing off, and Old French turned that into "vanter." English took that French verb as "vaunt," and "vauch" appears to be a northern and Scots variant of the same word, probably formed from the Old French form as it was spoken in Britain. The sense of boasting about one's possessions, rather than one's deeds, is the later emphasis in most of its uses. The verb and the noun share one history. The noun, meaning a boast or a display, follows from the verb, so a single etymology covers both. Its written record is mostly Scots and northern English, which is why it looks unfamiliar beside its standard cousin "vaunt."