Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1952 (SND Vol. III). Includes material from the 1976 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

DRAIGON, DRAGON, n. A paper kite. Gen.Sc. Also draygon (Abd. 1895 J. M. Cobban King of Andaman viii.), draigen (Fif. 1909 Colville 127), dreggen. Also in n.Eng. dial.Sc. 1756 M. Calderwood Journey (M.C.) 176:
A peice of brocade . . . in the shape of a dragon the boys let fly.Abd. 1853 W. Cadenhead Flights 249:
Dragons a' cover'd wi' pictures sae fine.Ags. 1921 V. Jacob Bonnie Joann 25:
I'd flee my draigon on the links Wi' callants like mysel'Edb. 1866 J. Smith Poems 35:
Whyles fleein' high . . . my bawbee dragon on the Hill.Dmb. 1898 J. M. Slimmon Dead Planet 152:
To flee my draigon a' day lang Where Kelvin daunners doun.Ayr. 1912 G. Cunningham Verse 212:
Banes and rags, For dreggens, bools, balloons, and flags.Gall. 1822 Edb. Mag. (Feb.) 194:
It was no very difficult matter to attach one end of a “dragon-string,” amidst the higher altitudes of smoke and obscurity, to the crook.

Phr.: to flee a draigon = Eng. to fly a kite, in its fig. sense (Bnff.², Ags.¹⁷ 1940); to flee one's draigon, to make water, urinate (Gsw. 1966). Cf. Eng. slang to water the dragon, id.