Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

†GARRING LAW, n. comb. The system of government (including fagging, etc.) devised by the pupils of George Heriot's Hospital. Cf. Garrer.Edb. 1751 in C. B. Gunn G. Heriot's Hospital 1906) 137:
The Garring Law, a system of fagging of great severity, found to be in full force among the boys.Edb. 1845 F. W. Bedford G. Heriot's Hospital (1859) Gl. 343:
By the garring law every boy was entitled, when five years in the Hospital, to compel any of the younger boys to do anything.Edb. 1910 Scotsman (3 Sept.):
Immediately after a boy's entrance to the Hospital, he was sadly maltreated or “tamed into the garring law”. . . . Even as late as 1825 the “garring law” still caused difficulty.