Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DRAG, n. Sc. usages.

1. A large, heavy harrow. Gen.Sc. Common in Eng. dial.Abd. 1875 A. Smith Hist. Abdsh. II. 1220:
The drag can easily be converted into a harrow, simply by changing the tines.Ags. 1920 D. H. Edwards Men and Manners 87:
A twa-horse drag, a queer drill harrow.

2. A half-load (Uls.² 1929).Uls. 1920 H. S. Morrison Mod. Ulster 216:
“A drag” that is a small load which is emptied on some hard place where the horse can move freely and then the carter goes back for a second drag, and fills the load with the one taken first.

3. Phr. and Comb.: (1) never out (o') the drag, never finished (Bnff.², Abd.¹⁵, Fif.¹⁰ 1940); (2) drag-tae, a rake (Bnff.⁴ 1927).(1) Fif. 1895 “G. Setoun” Sunshine and Haar i.:
Workin' late an' early . . . an' never out the drag.(2) Kcb. 1897 G. O. Elder Borgue 31 (orig. from MacTaggart Gallov. Encycl. (1824) 26):
My theebanes like mill timmers and my fingers like dragtaes.