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

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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Tug, Tugg, n. Also: (trugg). [Late ME and e.m.E. teug (1417-18), tugg (1481-3), tug (1635).]

1. A tug, a pull; a violent tussle. c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 163/81.
The tarsall gaif him tug for tug, A stanchell hang in ilka lug 1686 G. Stuart Joco-Ser. Disc. 42.
Then will begin sike broyls and tuggs, And lund'ring yane anothers luggs

2. ? A strap, chain or rope employed in pulling a load, esp. as part of a draught animal's harness. 1523 Wigtown B. Ct. 144a.
Ane hem wyth tuggis the price iiii d. 1618 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 95.
For towis to be tugis for grytlyne baik and for ane garroune 1640–1 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 258.
8 barrowis with all thair truggis [? erron. for tuggis] 1665 Nicolson Diurnals 19 May.
2 tethers & tugs 1698 Edgar Old Church Life 221.
Materials belonging to a plough, such as a team, tugs, and heme

3. A strip pulled off the hide of a slaughtered animal. 1669 Argyll Justic. Rec. I 7.
The said John Duncan … did … find the said mart kow slayne, brockine, and putt up in veshells, quher ane tug of her hyde wes also found 1669 R. Brown Paisley I 320.
The fleshers within this burgh sall in no tym heirefter tak tugs aff hyids

4. attrib. Tug-fisching, fishing using either a tug-net or a handline pulled through the water. Tug-net, a fishing net that is drawn through the water, a drag-net. Also attrib. Tug quhytting, whiting caught using a tug-net or a handline. Tug-saw, ? a two-handled saw. — 1609 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 72.
Thay hawing bene furth altogedder that night at the tug fisching 1609 Aberd. Eccl. Rec. 73.
Thay … pairted thair hearine and fisches quhilk thay had gotten at thair tug fisching — 1444–5 Aberd. B. Rec. MS V ii 694.
It is statute … that fra hyne forth wartis … thar be na tugnettis sufferit to fische in ony tyme of the yher 1584 Reg. Great S. 232/1.
Ad locum at aquam de Spay ubi rete piscationis vulgo tugnettis fisching dicti Rob. solebant piscare 1607 Reg. Great S. 686/1.
Salmonum piscariam et lie tug-net tam rubrorum piscium 1611 Burnett of Leys 38.
For payment of the dewteis of the tugnet 1611 Yester Wr. 300.
All and whole that salmon fishing and tugnet alsweill of reidfischis and scail [ed. stail] fische as of other fisches within the flowing of the sey 1623 Yester Wr. 358.
The salmon fishing and lie tugnet [ed. twynett] with red fish and scaill [ed. staill] fische 1661 Reg. Great S. 37/1.
The lands of Essil, with … lie tugnet fishing right belonging thereto — c1650 Spalding II 174.
About this tyme, sum tug quhytinges takin — 1501 Acta Conc. II 477.
Thre sawis, ane armyt, a tugsaw, a handsaw