notch

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
notch/nɒtʃ/

▶noun

• 1 an indentation or incision on an edge or surface.

  ■ each of a series of holes for the tongue of a buckle.

  ■ a nick made on something to keep a record.

  ■ a point or degree in a scale.

• 2 N. Amer. a deep, narrow mountain pass.

▶verb

• 1 make notches in.

  ■ secure or insert by means of notches.

• 2 (often notch something up) score or achieve.

– derivatives
notcher noun.

– origin C16: prob. from Anglo-Norman Fr. noche, var. of OFr. osche.