A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 2000 (DOST Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Seg(g, n. Also: segge, sege, seig. [ME and e.m.E. segge (a1250), seg (1538), e.m.E. sedge (c1590), segg (1594), OE secg (cf. Sage n.3): Cf. also MLG segge, segghe (Schiller-Lübben) and Du. zegge.] Sedge; a sedge. Also attrib.(1) 1634 Wedderburn Gramm. 15.
Carex, the wild seg 1500-1699 Herbarius Latinus Annot. iiii (Bot.).
Acorus, seggis(2) c1420 Ratis R. 1135.
To mak … of a seg a swerd of were(3) 1549 Compl. 42/30.
Than the scheiphyrdis vyuis cuttit raschis and seggis 1549 Compl. 67/6.
I sau mony grene seggis, that ar gude to prouoke the flouris of vemen 1616 M. Works Acc. (ed.) II 19.
For tuentie sewin burdein of seggis to be brachames to the horse 1638 Pittenweem Ann. 27.
He sall cut the haill seggs in the myre 1657 Balfour Ann. IV 114.
One ane old bolster aboue a matte of segges and rushes(4) coll. 1660–1 Aberd. Shore Wk. Acc. 467.
24 burdens seg to the clouss … 5 s. ilk on [£6](5) attrib. 1500-1699 Herbarius Latinus Annot. iiii (Adv.).
Segruttis, seg rutis, seigruitis
b. attrib. Sege feddir, ? the seed head of the sedge plant or rush used (comically) as a feather to decorate a helmet.a1568 Bann. MS 107b/32.
Schir Allanis hewmond is ane cop With ane sege feddir in his top
