Lug

subs. (old).—1.  The ear. Fr. isgourde.

  1592.  J. LYLY, Mydas, ii. 5. Dare you think your clumsy LUGS so proper to decide, as the delicate ears of Justice Midas.

  1592.  GREENE, The Defence of Conny-catching, in Works, xi. 62. Then the gentlewoman let loose his eares, and let slip his head, and away went he home with his bloody LUGGES.

  1610.  ROWLANDS, Martin Mark-all, 39 [Hunterian Club’s Reprint, 1874]. LUGGES, eares.

  1625.  JONSON, The Staple of News, v. 1. A fine round head, when those two LUGS are off.

  1651–7.  RAY, Cleaveland’s Poems. With hair in characters, and LUGS in texts.

  1652.  TATHAM, The Scots Figgaries, v. Cam lend, lend y’ar LUGS.

  1653.  R. BROME, A Mad Couple Well Match’d, iv. 1. Take her at her word again, sir, and I shall take you by the LUGGS.

  1675.  COTTON, Burlesque upon Burlesque: or, The Scoffer Scofft, in Wks. (1725), p. 150. Those large LUGS of yours will crack for’t.

  1684.  LACY, Sauny the Scot, ii. 1. Gin I had yea in Scotland, I’se nea give yea a bawbee for your LUGS.

  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. LUGGS: hence ‘to lugg by the ears.’

  1725.  A New Canting Dictionary, s.v.

  1762.  FOOTE, The Orators, i. Satan … whispers a fast speech in her LUG.

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.

  1819.  T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, p. 7. Round LUGS and ogles flew the frequent fist.

  1822.  SCOTT, The Fortunes of Nigel, xxxiii. A lurking place called the King’s LUGG or ear, where he could sit undescried, and hear the converse of his prisoners.

  1821.  W. T. MONCRIEFF, Tom and Jerry, ii. 4. He napp’d it under the LUGS, too.

  2.  (common).—Affected manners; ‘airs’: e.g., TO PUT ON LUGS = to be conceited.

  Verb. (once literary: now colloquial).—1.  To drag; also to take by the ears.

  c. 1189.  The Destruction of Troy [E.E.T.S.], 1, 6667.

  1609.  SHAKESPEARE, Timon of Athens, iv. 3, 31.

  1726.  SWIFT, Gulliver’s Travels, ‘Laputa,’ vi. To tread on his corns, or LUG him twice by both ears.

  2.  (old).—To drink steadily.

  IN LUG, phr. (old).—In pawn; in pledge; up the SPOUT (q.v.).

  TO LUG IN, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To include; to insert unnecessarily or unexpectedly.

  1762.  CHURCHILL, The Ghost, bk. iv., line 112.

  1830.  GREVILLE, Memoirs, 27 Feb. He could not tell that story which I begged him to do, and which would not have been LUGGED IN neck and shoulders, because every body was telling just such stories.

  1864.  A. TROLLOPE, The Small House of Allington, x. Joseph Cradell Esqre to John Eames Esqre…. ‘I want you to write me at once, saying what you know about the matter. I ask you, as I don’t want to LUG IN any of the other people at Roper’s.’

  TO LUG OUT, verb. phr. (old).—To draw (as a sword).

  1688.  SHADWELL, The Squire of Alsatia, i., in Works (1720), iv. 18. Belf. Sen. The Prigster LUGGED OUT in defence of his Natural, the Captain whipt his Porker out, and away rubb’d Prigster and call’d the Watch.

  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v.

  1693.  DRYDEN, Juvenal, xvi. They will be heard, or they LUG OUT and cut.

  TO BLAW IN ONE’S LUG, verb. phr. (Scots’).—To cajole; to flatter. Hence, BLAW-IN-MY-LUG = a flatterer; a wheedler.

  IF WORTH HIS LUGS (he would do such a thing), phr. (Scots’).—Used in approbation, or the reverse. [From the mediæval punishment of lopping the ears.]

  1362.  LANGLAND, Piers Plowman, A. ii. a.

  TO HAVE A FLEA IN ONE’S LUG. See EAR.

  TO LAY ONE’S LUGS, verb. phr. (Scots’).—To wager.