Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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.

LAGET, n., v. Also lagat, lagd (Jak.), lagdt (Edm.) and in reduced forms la(a)g. [′lɑgət]

I. n. 1. A loose trailing shred or wisp of some material such as wool, hay or straw (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), 1914 Angus Gl., lag, Sh. 1960). Cf. Hentilaget.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (3 Sept.):
Fling da maeshie apo' me, lass, an' poo da loose lags frae him.Sh. 1900 Ib. (7 July):
Shü . . . laid aff ta Girzzie foo needfil shü wis . . . fir a laag o' 'oo'.

2. Specif.: a strip of cloth or piece of wool tied to a horse's mane or tail or to a sheep's ear, horn or fleece as a mark to distinguish one from another (Sh. a.1838 Jam. MSS. XII. 133, lagd, 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1960).

II. v., in form lag. 1. To draw out a tuft of wool between the fingers in feeding it on to the spinning-wheel (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1960); 2. to hang, trail or dangle, as loose wool from a sheep's back or straw from a container (Id.). Also tr., of a sheep: to cast its wool in tufts or shreds. (Id.); of a person: to tie a laget on a sheep, etc. for identification. See n., 2.