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: 1908-1956
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PYAG, v., n. Also pja(a)g, pjog, pjakk, pjark- (Jak.); piaag, pyaag (Sh. 1964 Norden Lichts 8); pjeg-. [pjɑ:g]
I. v. 1. To work or move painfully and laboriously, to labour away without making much progress, to drudge, “sweat” at a task (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., piaag, 1908 Jak. (1932), Sh. 1967), ppl.adjs. pjagen, pjaget, quite exhausted, worn out, on the point of death (Jak.); fig. of pain or the like: to gnaw away, nag quietly but persistently.Sh. 1908 Jak. II. (1932) 656:
No fit to pjag, unable to move, utterly exhausted.Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.:
De were a aald man pjaagin upon a aer.Sh. 1956 New Shetlander No. 43. 22:
Back yakkils njaag and pjaag with pain when they decay.
2. To trifle at one's work, make slow progress, “swing the lead” (Jak.). Ppl.adj. pjakket, feeble, trifling, having little strength or energy, small, underdeveloped. Derivs. pjagi, pjogi, pjegi, n., a trifler, dawdler, a feeble ineffectual person, a weakling (Jak.); pjarki, adj., small, insignificant (Jak.).Sh.1908 Jak. II. (1932) 656:
Skond dee, pjagi! Make haste, you dawdler!
II. n. 1. Drudgery, slow laborious work, painstaking labour; capacity for work, strength, energy (Jak.).Sh. 1908 Jak. II. (1932) 656:
Der'r nae pjag wi' him, there is no strength in him, no capacity for work.
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"Pyag v., n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/pyag>
