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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

SLAG, n.¹, v.¹ Also slagg, slaug; slyaag (Abd. 1825 Jam.); slaig; slog (Sc. 1880 Jam.) and misprint slay. Freq. form sluggie. [slɑg]

I. n. A large blob of any wet, soft or messy substance (n.Sc. 1808 Jam.); of food: a large sloppy mouthful, a dollop (Ags. 1921 T.S.D.C., slaug, Ags. 1970).Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 53:
Sawny swallowed o'er his sodden meat, slag by slag.n.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
A slag of parridge, a large spoonful.Slk. 1828 Hogg Shep. Cal. (1874) viii.:
Could I but . . . see his blood lopper, and bubble, and spin away in purple slays.Ags. 1890 Brechin Advertiser (3 June) 3:
A gryte slagg oot o' the side o' the plate.Per. 1935 Scotsman (17 Jan.) 11:
Thick gruel eaten with treacle or a slag of rich salt butter.Ags. 1947 Forfar Dispatch (20 March):
She taen a slag [of toffee], hung it on a nail ahent the door and tawed it.

II. v. 1. To make wet or messy, to besmear, bedaub. Cf. Slaigger, q.v.Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore (S.T.S.) 61:
Kiss ye slate stanes, that winna slagg your mou'.

2. To dabble messily in one's food, to gobble up in large spoonfuls (Abd., Cld. 1825 Jam.).Mry. 1806 R. Jamieson Ballads I. 296:
The cathel cam in in a bicker; Wi' cutties they sluggied it roun'.Sc. 1822 A. Sutherland Cospatrick I. 215:
When the porridge was toomed, baith the tinklers clinket up a spoon an' began to slag awa'.