%kerch%

n. A handkerchief. [ Obs. or Colloq. ] Chapman (1654). Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Hand + kerchief. ] 1. A piece of cloth, usually square and often fine and elegant, carried for wiping the face or hands. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A piece of cloth shaped like a handkerchief to be worn about the neck; a neckerchief; a neckcloth. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A kerchief. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

He became . . . white as a kercher. Sir T. North. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Covered, or bound round, with a kercher. [ Obs. ] G. Fletcher. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Kerchiefs [ OE. coverchef, OF. cuevrechief, couvrechef, F. couvrechef, a head covering, fr. couvrir to cover + OF. chief head, F. chef. See Cover, Chief, and cf. Curfew. ] 1. A square of fine linen worn by women as a covering for the head; hence, anything similar in form or material, worn for ornament on other parts of the person; -- mostly used in compounds; as, neckerchief; breastkerchief; and later, handkerchief. [ 1913 Webster ]

He might put on a hat, a muffler, and a kerchief, and so escape. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Her black hair strained away
To a scarlet kerchief caught beneath her chin. Mrs. Browning. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A lady who wears a kerchief. Dryden.

{ } a. Dressed; hooded; covered; wearing a kerchief. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]