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 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

HUGGER, v., n. [′hʌgər]

I. v. 1. To shudder, to shiver (Abd. 1825 Jam.); to contract oneself, to hug oneself, to be huddled up with cold or illness (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 83; ne.Sc. 1957). Vbl.n. huggerin, -an, a shivering or shrinking feeling resulting from severe cold (Mry., Abd. 1957); ppl.adjs. huggert, -in(g), huddled up or shrunk with cold, pinched-looking (ne.Sc., Ags., Per. 1957), round-shouldered (Mry.¹ 1925, Mry. 1957). Also fig.Abd. 1900 Wkly. Free Press (25 Aug.):
He's bent and huggert aboot the shoulders.Abd.¹ 1929:
It wis a bitin nicht an' the craitur wis huggerin' wi' her hans aneth her oxters to keep hersel' warm.Sc. 1942 A. Galloway War Poems in Scots 6:
He [the portrait-painter] was a crystal whaur the sauls o' men Stertled their owners like a huggert wraith.Abd. 1955 Huntly Express (4 March):
I lay an' huggert, shut my een, Or glowered oot at the frosty meen.

2. To crowd or huddle together as a protection against cold (Bch. 1931 Abd. Press & Jnl. (30 Jan.); Bnff., Abd., Ags. 1957). Also fig.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 83:
A' the nout wir huggerin' thegeethir at the lythe side o' the dyke.ne.Sc. 1994 Alastair Mackie in James Robertson A Tongue in Yer Heid 93:
... and trees, fu o themsels, blockit oot the facades or owerhung the pavements as we lytert aneth their huggert pends.

3. Of clothes: to slip down or hang in an untidy manner (Lnk. 1953 per Mearns⁶; Ags. 1957), esp. in ppl.adjs. huggered, huggerin (Ags., Fif. 1957).Per. 1928:
Yer stockin's are a' huggery.

†II. n. The state of contracting and hugging oneself from cold or illness (Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 83).