Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1762-1939
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MAGG, v., n. Also mag.
I. v. Of coal carters: to pilfer coal by removing part of a load to sell on their own account (Lth. 1808 Jam.). Also transf.Sc. 1762 Caled. Mercury (27 March):
The Magistrates . . . fine severals [for] forestalling, regrating, using false weights and magging or selling part of carts of coals.Sc. 1801 Edb. Weekly Jnl. (16 Sept.) IV. 294:
Friday a carter, at Loanhead, was convicted before the Magistrates, of being guilty of the base practice of magging the coals brought in to him by his customers.Sc. 1818 Scott H. Midlothian xliii.:
They were a bad pack — steal'd meat and mault, and loot the carters magg the coals.Sc. 1827 C. I. Johnstone Eliz. de Bruce I. vi.:
They scrapit up a groat amang them, poor dears, — magged frae their Sabbath pennies to the brod, I'm thinking.
II. n. In pl.: an extra payment to express appreciation of services outside regular duties, a gratuity, a tip (Lth. 1808 Jam.; Sc. 1818 Sawers; m.Lth. 1962). Construed as a sing. in 1779 quot. Phr. to melt one's mags, to drink one's tips.Edb. 1762 Session Papers, Chaise-masters v. J.P.s. Edb. (30 Nov.) 9:
They get besides Mags, two Pints of Ale and four Rolls.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 60:
The [ministers]'re well paid for their preaching, they may very well both marry and chrisen a' the poor foukes into the bargain, by the way of a maggs.Edb. 1844 J. Ballantine Deanhaugh x.:
Mensefu' wives are aye mensefu' baith wi' their drams an' their maggs.Sc. 1869 J. C. Morton Cycl. Agric. II. 724:
Maggs, allowance to ploughmen when on duty from home.Ayr. 1890 J. Service Notandums 110:
"Thou's nane blate for thy years, but tak thou that by way o' mags!" quo' she, and she yerkit my haffet with her loof.m.Lth. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick 97:
There was a half-way hoose at Gammelston, keepit by a man ca'd Sam'el Vint, whaur the chaps üsed to stop in the hame-comin an' melt their maggs.e.Lth. c.1920:
A tip given by a master to his servant [on a farm] who is sent a long distance with a cart or the like. Usually 3d. or 4d., and drunk on the spot or at the nearest pub!m.Lth. 1939:
At that time mags was still used by carters and lorry drivers. It was used both in the sense of a tip given to a carter and of a tip by a carter given to anyone about the pit who assisted him.
