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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NAG, v.¹, n.¹ Also nagg, neg (Sc. 1887 Jam.); nia(a)g, nja(a)g, n(y)aag, and freq. forms njag(ge)l, n(y)aggle. See also Knag, n.³, v. [n(j)ɑg(l)]

I. v. 1. To gnaw, keep chewing at (Sc. 1887 Jam. naggle; Ork. 1929 Marw., nyaggle; Sh. 1963, nyaag). Only dial. in Eng.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
De dog njag(gel)s de ben.

2. To become sour or mouldy in taste (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928), Sh. 1963). Cf. n., 2.

3. To work in a slow, laborious but assiduous manner, to toil (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl.; Sh., Ork. 1963).Ork. 1929 Marw.:
He was nyagglan at that boat and never makan a right job o' it.

4. As in Eng. (Sh. 1825 Jam., naag, 1866 Edm. Gl., niag, 1914 Angus Gl., njaag, Sh. 1963). Vbl.n. niaggin, constant fault-finding (Edb.). Hence naggie, cross-tempered, touchy, ill-natured (Rxb. a.l 838 Jam. MSS. X. 209), naggly, id. (Sc. 1887 Jam.).Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
Da bairn was njagin at me a day.

II. n. 1. A gnawing (Jak.), a pang of pain; wearing, laborious toil (Ib., 1948 New Shetlander (March-April) 15, njaag, Sh. 1963); grumbling, importunity (Jak.). Used fig. in deriv. naggi, in a mill: a wooden block on the upper mill-stone, which acts as a clapper; the trough through which the corn runs into the eye of the mill-stone (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928)).Sh. 1949 J. Gray Lowrie 38:
Wi dis croft wark, man, hits wan conteen-wal nyaag an slester frae moarnin, till nicht.Sh. 1958 New Shetlander No. 46. 19:
A nyaag or twa o da rheumatics.

2. A sour, mouldy, or stale taste (Sh. 1963). Cf. Kneggum.Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928):
Der'r a auld nagg wi' it.