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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 2001 (DOST Vol. IX).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Slog(g)orn(e, Slughorn(e, Slogan(e, n. Also: sloghorne, slougern, sluggorn(e, slugan, slughane. [Gael. sluagh-ghairm (Dwelly).] A call or cry of identification, chiefly a family name or location used as a call to arms, a battle-cry or rallying-cry; also, a password.Rarely, involving the use of phrases of a more general, though partisan, nature.(a) 1513 Doug. vii x 87.
The sloggorn [Sm. slogorne, Ruddim. slughorne] ensenȝe, or the wach cry, Went for the batale all suldbe reddy 1531 Bell. Boece I 59.
That nane of thaim name thair capitane with ony uthir sloggorne [M. slogorn], bot with the auld name of that tribe 1558-66 Knox I 87.
Great was the noyse … that was heard, whill that everie man calles his awin sloghorne a1578 Pitsc. I 272/4.
[He] callit his men togither be sloghorne and sound of trumpit a1578 Pitsc. II 263/11.
Knawing na thing of this tresowne quhill thay hard ane slughorne cryand on the gait in this maner ‘ane Hammiltowne, ane Hammiltowne’ 1588 Reg. Privy C. IV 283.
Multitudis … of utheris thevis [etc.] … start up in all quartaris … And na man dar repair frome toun or toun without sluggorne a1595 Davidson in Three Reformers 115.
His sloghorne I cannot passe by, Our men on his left hand gan cry ‘A Hume, a Hume’ … Ane other voce … He heard crying ‘a Dowglasse’ … Then bursted ‘Robert’ forth at last 1606 Crim. Trials II 504.
The Laird of Balclewch … caussit blaw his trumpett and cry sum slughorns 1608 Reg. Privy C. VIII 86.
[These persons … at last commenced the tumult by crying] ‘a labrone’,—quhilk is the slughorne of the toun c1610 Melville Mem. 149.
The rest remanit in the close, with drawen swerdis in ther handis, crying ‘a Douglas, a Douglas,’ for ther slougern 1680 Mackenzie Science Herauldry 97.
Not unlike these motto's are our slughorns which are called cris de guerre in France 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 3.
They … use still to recite the sluggornes of most of the true ancient surnames of Scotland T. Pont Map No. 17 (NLS).
‘Loche Sloy’. Macfarlans sluggorn(b) 1570-3 Bann. Trans. 255.
Thair hagbutteris … enterit in Stirveling … crying this slogane, ‘God and the Quene;’ … ‘ane Hamiltoune’; ‘think on the bischop of St Androis’; ‘all is oures’ c1578 Reid Swire 96.
Than rais'd the slogan with ane shout Fy Tindaill, to it Jedbruh 1680 Mackenzie Science Herauldry 97.
The name of Hume have for their slughorn (or slogan as our southern shires terme it) ‘a Hume’, ‘a Hume’ a1691 Kingston Contin. Ho. Seytoun 49.
Others are of opinion that the surname … is from ‘set on’ as the ancient slughane of the house signifies 16… Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. III 166.
Eastward from which standeth Bellanden … which was the slogan of the name of Scot, which was a custome when the chief of the name, at general or public meetings, would call his friends about him 16… Macfarlane's Geog. Coll. III 240.
Craig Ilachie is the Laird of Grant's slugan. When ever the word is cryed through this countrey, all the inhabitants are obliged … to rise in arms and repair themselves to a meeting place