Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1898
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†HUGGER-SMUGGER, adv., n. Also hugrasmugra (Sh. 1894). Sh. variant of Eng. hugger-mugger, secretly, under cover, furtively. Also n.phr. in hugger-smugger, id.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (5 March):
I kent Bawby wid laek to come oot wi' suntin' 'at da tedder sheelds wis tryin' ta keep hugger-smugger.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (8 Oct.):
Lasses, what is a' dis 'at ye're haein' in hugger-smugger?
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"Hugger-smugger adv., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/huggersmugger>
