Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1777-1957
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PILGET, n.1, v. Also pilgit, -gat(t)(e), -gyet, pillgat; reduced forms pilgie (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; Ags. 1965), pitkya(s) (Marw.). [′pɪlgɪt]
I. n. 1. A quarrel, disagreement, a wordy argument, altercation, wrangle (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.; ne.Sc. 1965); fig., a fight, struggle, tussle, a battle against odds (Ags. 1944; ne.Sc. 1965).Abd. 1777 R. Forbes Ulysses 19:
I need na' tell the pilgets a' I've had wi' feirdy foes.Abd. c.1782 Ellis E.E.P. V. 775:
There wis a pilgyet i' the tail o' the toolyie that day.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xliv.:
Fan we begood the pilget here thegither, wi' three stirks, an' a bran'it coo 't cam' wi' your providin'.Bnff. 1893 G. G. Green Kidnappers xix.:
He frequently had “awfu' pilgits wi' Sawtan”.Abd. 1915 H. Beaton Benachie 80:
In the warm days, [when] the cattle had to be driven through a burn, many a “pilget” had “herdie”.Bnff. 1929 Banffshire Jnl. (17 Sept.) 2:
Div ye min' the pilgit I hed wi' the newritis in ma airms?Abd. 1957 Bon-Accord (21 Feb.):
Wullie's pilget wi' the motor larry hed thorally convinced him that sic things were nae for him.
2. A state of distress or excitement, a fluster, panic (Ork. 1929 Marw.; ne.Sc. 1965); a plight, predicament, difficulty.Ags. 1853 W. Blair Aberbrothock ix.:
Puir auld Betty Cowie was in a sair pilgie fan her ain bairn Josie gaed awa amo' the sodgers.Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 125:
He's nivver oot ae pilget aboot's money maitters bit he's intil anither.Bch. 1913 W. Fraser Jeremiah Jobb 18:
'E'll lan' yirsel' in a fine pilgit wi mebbe half-a-dizzen breaches o' promise hingin' ower ye.Abd. 1955:
I'm in a proper pilgate.
¶3. A term of abuse for a person, “wretch”, “rascal”; a rowdy, disobedient boy (Abd. 1921).
II. v. 1. To quarrel, wrangle, bicker, “usually applied to the contentions of children” (Ayr. 1825 Jam.). Vbl.n. pil(l)gat(t)ing, a contention, quarrel, slanging-match; the act of quarrelling (Ib.).Ayr. 1821 Scots Mag. (April) 351:
Their tapseltirie tantrums an' haggersnash pillgatings.Ags. 1867 G. Donald Poems 37:
He pilgies sair an' mak's a din.
2. To get oneself into a difficulty, involve oneself in trouble, get into a predicament (Ayr. 1880 Jam.). This meaning is doubtfully authentic.
[Orig. unknown.]
