Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
SHILAGIE, n. Also shellagie, -y, shallag, shallogie; shilag (Rnf.). The coltsfoot, Tussilago farfara, esp. its leaves used by juvenile smokers as a substitute for tobacco (sm.Sc. 1896 Garden Work No. cxiv. 111, shellagg; Ayr. 1947 Daily Record (19 April) 4; Ags., Fif., Lth., Lnk. 1970). See also Dishilago. [ʃɪ′lɑgi]Ags. 1934 G. M. Martin Dundee Worthies 50:
A Partan claw used as a pipe, in which was placed, when tobacco could not be got, surreptitiously or otherwise, brown paper or a dried leaf known to the boys as “shallagy”.Slg. 1947 Scots Mag. (Jan.) 306:
The first coltsfoot gallantly flowering before its downy leaves unroll — those leaves which we used to dry and smoke and call “shell-aggie”.
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"Shilagie n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 28 Mar 2024 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/shilagie>