Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
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.]
