Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1960 (SND Vol. V). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

INGAN, n. Also ingin, ingon (w.Sc. 1887 Jam.), engan (Sh. 1916 J. Burgess Rasmie's Smaa Murr (Jooly 18)), eengan (Abd. 1932 D. Campbell Bamboozled 33). An onion (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Gen.Sc. See P.L.D. § 61. [′ɪŋən, ′ɪ-]Sc. 1728 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) II. 63:
My Pouch produc'd an Ingan Head.Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 183:
Imprimis, then, a haggis fat, Wi' spice and ingans weel ca'd thro,.Sc. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xiv.:
Sae mony royal boroughs yoked on end to end, like ropes of ingans.n.Sc. 1825 Jam.:
A proverb is used . . . expressive of high contempt as addressed to one who makes much ado about little; “Ye're sair stress'd stringing ingans.”Gsw. 1863 J. Young Ingle Nook 76:
Thae's ingans, my callan, an ilk bulby heid, Like a lily's unblawn is fu' o' its seed.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 13:
A made a faisable mael oot o pei-soop, caald flesh, picklt ingans, an nae skrimp o laif.

Combs.: ingan bag, a sporting slang expression for a football goal-net (Dmb. 1969); ingan Johnnie, an itinerant onion-seller, gen. from Brittany or Normandy. Gen.Sc. and colloq. Eng.