EnglishEdit EtymologyEdit
From Middle Englishspelc, or spilc (“little rod by which things are kept straight or a splint for binding up broken bones”), ultimately from Old Norsespelkur (“splints”). VerbEdit spelch (third-person singular simple presentspelches, present participlespelching, simple past and past participlespelched)
(intransitive) To splinter while being crosscut.Spelching can be avoided by cutting in from the outside face where possible.