Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
†BOLGAN, BALLAGAN, n.
1. “A swelling that becomes a pimple” (Rxb. 1825 Jam.2; †1923 Watson W.-B.).
2. “Ballagan. Lapsana communis, L.” (Ayr. 1886 Britten and Holland Eng. Plant-Names 23). The nipplewort.
Comb.: bolgan leaves, “Nipplewort, an herb. Lapsana communis, Linn. . . . supposed [to be] efficacious in removing swellings” (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.).
[Gael. bolgan, dim. of bolg, a bag, a pimple, a variant of balg, id., used in combs. as balgan-uisge, a water-bubble (see Macleod and Dewar). Cf. also O.N. bólgna, to swell.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Bolgan n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 18 Apr 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/bolgan>
