Definify.com

Definition 2024

tetched ‎(comparative more tetched, superlative most tetched)

(chiefly US, colloquial) Touched: mildly deranged, somewhat mentally dysfunctional.
- 1889, Laura E. Richards, Queen Hildegarde, ch. 9:
  "His mind was as keen as a razor, an' as straight-edged, 'xcept jest on one subject. On that he was, so to say, a little—wal—a little tetched."
- 1959 April 21, Ann Landers, "Oh Why Can't He See 'Dawn's Early Light'?, St. Petersburg Times (USA) (retrieved 26 June 2012):
  Just because he has trouble with the last verse of the Star Spangled Banner doesn't mean he's tetched. Maybe he has a mental block because you've been hammering him over the skull for three years about it.
- 1982 Sep. 27, Mary Cantwell, "Books Of The Times" (review of Goosefoot by Patrick McGinley), New York Times (retrieved 26 June 2012):
  There's a murderer about, but how can you spot him when everyone is moon-tetched?
(chiefly US, colloquial) Touched: physically contacted, impacted, or handled.
- 1899, Bret Harte, "Dick Spindler's Family Christmas" in Mr. Jack Hamlin's Mediation and Other Stories:
  "They ain't bin tetched or handled by any one but the Kempany's agents."
- c. 1900, O. Henry, "The Reformation Of Calliope":
  "That bullet never tetched ye!"