Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1974 (SND Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1821-1862
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TUGS, n.pl. Also teugs, tuigs. Sc. forms of slang or colloq. Eng. togs, clothes. Also in Sc. thieves' slang in sing. tuig, a coat, jacket. Deriv. tuggery, toggery, apparel.Edb. 1821 D. Haggart Life 39:
A Highland farmer dressed in a blue cherry top't tile, sky-blue tuig, benjy and keeks.Edb. 1827 Justiciary Reports (1829) 142:
Grant said, 'I did him of his tugs, or tuggery '. . . . Was not acquainted with Grant — learned afterwards that tugs, or tuggery. meant clothes or wearables.Bte. 1853 W. Bannatyne Poems 229:
Tinsel tugs and fal de rals.Ayr. 1862 J. Baxter Poems 64:
Wi' helmet an' tugs sae blue.
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"Tugs n. pl.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 17 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/tugs>
