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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DRUG, v., n., adj. Also drugg, droog, †droug. [drʌg Sc., but Cai. drug]

1. v. To pull forcibly, to tug, to drag (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Cai.⁷ (‡droog), Abd.², Kcb.¹ 1940). Pa.p. †drug (rare).ne.Sc. 1714 R. Smith Poems 85:
With groaning and moaning, He's brought stones from the Hill; With Rugging and drouging Your Yard-Dyke up to fill.Abd. 1891 G. W. Anderson Strathbogie 93:
I canna byde — yer line is ticht, It drugs me throw the burn tae you.em.Sc. 1706 Mare of Collingtoun in J. Watson Choice Coll. (1869) i. 40:
Then in a Grief he did her hail, And drugged both at Main and Tail.Kcb. 1721 Session Minutes Kelton Par. Ch. (5 March):
Being drug out of the bed with such violence.

2. n. A rough pull, a tug (Cai. 1900 E.D.D., droog; Cai.⁷ 1940, obsol.). For comb. doon-drug, see Doon, adv.¹, III.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 43:
An' at his hair loot monie canker'd drugs.

3. adj. Dragging, sticky, slow; esp. in curling, of ice that has thawed slightly (Fif.¹⁰, Kcb.⁹ 1940; Gall. 1900 E.D.D. Suppl.). Also used of the rougher of the two faces of a curling-stone.Sc. 1820 Blackwood's Mag. (Feb.) 572:
The lead, or first stone, is always, except on very drug ice, expected to lie short.Ayr. c.1850 M. Porteous in Carrick Anthol. (ed. Finlayson) 196:
Whan ice was drug an' thowy grup Made stanes gay rough about the doup.Ayr. 1904 J. Gillespie Humours Sc. Life 88:
He had a pair of “dour” curling-stones which, the ice becoming “drug”, he could not play up.Kcb. 1893 S. R. Crockett Stickit Minister 116:
Things are awfu' drug. I haena buried but yin since Martinmas — no' a sowl for fower months.Kcb.⁴ c.1900:
A road is said to be drugg after a continuous rain or a thaw when the cart wheels sink deep.Kcb.¹⁰ 1940:
A stone has two running faces, the drug and the keen, which can be used by turning the handle and bolt.