Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

About this entry:
First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

TRIG, adj., v. Also trigg. [trɪg; Cai. trig]

I. adj. 1. Brisk, active, nimble, alert, clever. Also adv. Also in Eng. dial. Adv. trigly.Sc. 1724 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) III. 96:
A tunefull Robin trig and yung.Abd. 1778 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 13:
Fan Nory now a gangrel trig was grown.Ayr. 1792 Burns The Tither Morn i.:
He sae trig lap o'er the rig, And dautingly did cheer me.Gsw. 1802 Sc. Songs (Whitelaw 1843) 208:
Though turned o' sixty, he gaes fu' trig.Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel xxxv.:
As brisk and trig a young fellow of your inches as the sun needs to shine on.Bnff. 1853 Banffshire Jnl. (11 May):
Trigly can he dance a reel, The kir, the canty weaver.Kcb. 1897 A. J. Armstrong Robbie Rankine 3:
Leezie was bustlin' aboot, as trig and fell-like as the day she stood up to be Geordie Simpson's bride.Dmb. 1931 A. J. Cronin Hatter's Castle iii. iii.:
You haven't got that trig head on your shoulders for nothing.m.Sc. 1979 George Campbell Hay in Joy Hendry Chapman 23-4 (1985) 86:
Jump an' trigg an' gleg an' aa,
ilka day is gled an' braw,
dae ye think the past is fell
an' the mair nations the mair hell? wm.Sc. 1991 Carol Galbraith in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 72:
trig tae jig
wi tapsalteerie frets
o infinite disco starns

2. (1) Of persons: neat in figure, dress, or manner, trim, spruce, dainty (Sc. 1782 J. Sinclair Ob. Sc. Dial. 161, 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1942 Zai; n.Sc. 1973). Also adv. Gen.Sc.Sc. 1725 Ramsay Gentle Shep. i. ii.:
Few gang trigger to the kirk or fair.Edb. 1772 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 89:
The sun began to keek, And bad the trig made maidens come.Ayr. 1792 Burns Willie Wastle iv.:
Willie's wife is nae sae trig, She dights her grunzie wi' a hushion.Sc. 1826 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) I. 93:
The queans, just a little trigger than when at work, — a clean mutch, or a ribbon round their foreheads.Knr. 1891 H. Haliburton Ochil Idylls 116:
Country lads may noo gang braw, An' country lasses trig.m.Sc. 1917 J. Buchan Poems 40:
Buskit sae trig, and ower her yellow hair A denty shawl.sm.Sc. 1923 R. W. Mackenna Bracken and Thistledown 9:
She was trig an' sonsie, an' I min' she had blue cornflooers in her hat.wm.Sc. 1937 W. Hutcheson Chota Chants 5:
Wi swankey step, and looking trig and spry.Sc. 1991 Roderick Watson in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 103:
But Troilus saw her yet
sae trig an sure as a siller birk
that's pit doun seed i the mool o his hert
an wi its roots has happit his hert,
an ruggit awa an crackit his hert
wi thrang, naitural, surprisin dule. Abd. 1998 Sheena Blackhall The Bonsai Grower 62:
He wis deintie and trig in aa his wyes fur sic a giant o a chiel, roch neither in thocht nor spikk.

(2) Of places or things: neat, tidy, well-kept (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Per., Fif., Lth., Ayr. 1916–23 Wilson; n.Sc. 1973). Also adv.Abd. p.1768 A. Ross Works (S.T.S.) 182:
In his ae hand he held his lesson book, His ither held a trigg, well-whittled crook.Kcb. 1789 D. Davidson Seasons 15:
Wi's bonnet trigg abune his ear.Edb. 1801 Brigs of Edinburgh 7:
Ilk day I snuff the cawler air,
That blaws down trig St Andrew's Square.Peb. 1805 J. Nicol Poems II. 10:
Their Sunday's cleathin trig put on.Ayr. 1822 Galt Entail vii.:
Girzy gars them keep a trig house and a birring wheel.Bwk. 1863 A. Steel Poems 49:
Was not our toon as weel afore — As trig, as clean, ay, rather more?Sh. 1892 J. Burgess Rasmie's Büddie 83:
Aa ithin wis trig an croose.Rxb. 1913 Kelso Chronicle (3 Oct.):
The shops a' trig and tidy.Uls. 1929 M. Mulcaghey Ballymulcaghey 67:
She knows how till keep a house trig.Abd. 1941 Abd. Univ. Review 93:
Andra's bit shoppie was nae unco big An' wasna aye keepit ow'r tidy an' trig. wm.Sc. 1980 Anna Blair The Rowan on the Ridge 159:
"She's no' bonny like Rosie or even Annie, but she's a rare cook and she wid keep a trig kitchen." m.Sc. 1990 Douglas Lipton in Hamish Whyte and Janice Galloway New Writing Scotland 8: The Day I Met the Queen Mother 63:
Ah'm a West Hielan' Free Terrier an' a Pilton Shepherd an' a wee Scrabster Yorkie wi' a trig tartan jaiket an' a reid bow (an' thon's no' a sporran, missus).

(3) Derivs.: (i) trigfu, neatly, smartly; (ii) trig-looking, having a smart, neat appearance; (iii) trigly, = (i) (Sc. 1825 Jam.); (iv) trigness, neatness, tidiness (Sc.1825 Jam.); (v) triggy, neat, smart, tidy.(ii) Ags. 1880 J. E. Watt Poet. Sk. 110:
Janet, his pairtner, a trig-lookin' dame.(iii) Edb. 1772 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 81:
Wi' siller broachie in his sark, Gangs trigly, faith! Edb. 1801 Brigs of Edinburgh 3:
Saint Giles' had newly chapped ane
As I gade dan'rin' down alane,
To whare our Brigs sae trigly meet,
On right an' left o' the High Street.Bnff. 1853 Banffshire Jnl. (11 May):
Trigly can he dance a reel.Dmf. 1874 R. Reid Moorland Rhymes 2:
I gethert a hamely wee posie And buskit it trigly and cosy.Abd. 1932 R. L. Cassie Scots Sangs 46:
Their heids sae trigly happit aneth their weengs. (iv) Ayr. 1821 Galt Annals ii.:
Well spoken of, for both their civility and the trigness of their houses.Sh. 1904 J. Nicolson Tales of Thule 74:
The trigness and comfort which is invariably found where a woman's hand predominates.(v) Per. 1840 R. Selby Rhymes 33:
The lads and lasses so triggy and clean.Sh. 1888 B. R. Anderson Broken Lights 99:
Wale wi' care a triggy wife, A wife 'at düsna cline.

3. Well-balanced, steady, stable.Gsw. 1937 F. Niven Staff at Simson's xxvi.:
Better throw up no more. The stack is trig as it is.Bwk. 1943 W. L. Ferguson Vignettes 67:
Yet faith! she [the Ark] richts hersel' and comes up trig.

II. v. Freq. with out, up: to make oneself, one's clothes, house, etc., neat or tidy, to set in order, to smarten up, bedeck, embellish (ne.Sc. 1973). Vbl.n. triggin, tidying, adornment, finery. Comb. trig-up, a setting in order (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 197).Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1876) I. 93:
Mine ain house I like to guide, And please me with the trigging o't.Abd. p.1768 A. Ross Works (S.T.S.) 200:
When young gentlemen comes to the town, Be sure you trig yourself i' your best gown.Per. 1802 S. Kerr Poems 59:
His gravat, that was wont in genty plies To be by Nelly, triggit out sae snod.Abd. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 48:
Compar'd to you, what's peevish trag, Or beaus wi' cleadfu' triggin?Rxb. 1871 H. S. Riddell Poet. Wks. II. 90:
She gledged at her cousin, and trigged up her cap.Dmf. 1877 R. W. Thom Jock o' Knowe 54:
Beauty shines divine when seen Trigged oot in love and charity.Sh. 1901 T. P. Ollason Mareel 10:
Sae efter as shü wis trigget up, we jugged awa' doon trow.Sh. 1928 Manson's Almanac 185:
Ye mann trig yoursel' up, fur dir a Pensions Officer waitin' ta interview you.Sh. 1972 New Shetlander No. 102. 23:
He wis fairly trigged up. He even had on a collar an tie!wm.Sc. 1980 Anna Blair The Rowan on the Ridge 95:
"I'll awa' and see if James's thocht to trig up the low field hedges," he announced ...