Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1718, 1804, 1891-1951
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KNAG, n.2 Also cnag, and dim. knaggie, naggy. Cf. Knog. [knɑg]
1. A keg, small cask (Abd. 1790 A. Shirrefs Poems Gl.; ‡ne.Sc. 1960).Sh. 1718 Old-Lore Misc. VI. iv. 195:
90 small knags for buies to the nets, 150 lb. weight of small rops for burops.Ork. 1718 in H. Marwick Merchant Lairds (1936) I. 79:
The litle cnag with 4 pynts 3 half muchings brandy.Bch. 1804 W. Tarras Poems 8:
To slock our drouth's a knag o' berry brown.Abd. 1891 Bon-Accord (26 Sept.) 26:
To hap them frae the gauger's sicht, Twa knaggies stowed amang the reets.Bnff. 1917 Banffshire Jnl. (26 June):
I keep a knaggie in the press for incomes, stouns, an' dwaums.Abd. 1951 Buchan Observer (2 Oct.):
The old Brewery ale at 1/3 for a 2½ gallon knaggie.
2. A small wooden vessel with an upright handle, holding about a pint (Slk. 1825 Jam.; Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.); a cup (Lnk. 1825 Jam., naggy).
[Phs. an extension of Knag, n.1, from the idea of something short and stumpy, or a conflation of the same with Cag.]
