Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1825-1930
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DAG, Dagg, Daag, n.1, v.
I. n.
1. A thin, drizzling rain (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Sh. 1899 J. Spence Folk-Lore 239, daag, 1908 Jak. (1928), dagg; Ork. 1929 Marw., dagg; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); moisture (Marw.). Also found in Eng. (n.Cy., Nrf.) dial. (E.D.D.).Ork. 1929 Marw.:
It's a filty dagg o' weet noo.Dmf. 1829 Carlyle Letters (Norton) I. 202:
Not the storms and the tempests of Night, but the dags and the drizzles of Day.
2. A thick heavy fog or mist (w., s.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).
3. A heavy shower (of rain) (Cai.7 1939; Mry.1 1925; Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 36; Bnff.2, Abd.2 1939; Ayr. 1825 Jam.2; Kcb. 1794–1868 Curriehill).Mry.(D) 1897 J. Mackinnon Braefoot Sk. v.:
The rain had "dung on" in terrific "dags" from some time before I had wakened until about 6.30 p.m.Abd.(D) 1915 H. Beaton Back o' Benachie 97:
It's weel we're a' in the hoose, for here's a dag o' a thunner shooer.Arg.1 1930:
There's dags o' shooers gaan roon' the day.
4. Hence daggy, daggie, drizzling, moist, misty (Abd.2 1939; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Slg.3 1939 says: "almost obs. in Edb."Sc. 1825 Jam.2:
A daggie day, a day characterised by slight rain.Edb. 1856 J. Ballantine Poems 22:
The barefitted bairnies, hardy an' wee, Tot ower the causey, sae slippy an' daggy.Lnk. 1922 T. S. Cairncross Scot at Hame 43:
The wather's aft gey drumly, Daggy days and mochy nichts.
II. v. To rain gently, to drizzle (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Bwk. 1942 Wettstein; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.). Also found in Eng. dial. (E.D.D.). Ags. 1896 A. Blair Rantin Robin 96:
It was daggin on a sma rain.
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"Dag n.1, v.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 3 Apr 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/dag_n1_v>
