Forms: α. 6 tegge, 6–9 tegg, 7– teg; β. 6–7 tagge, 9 tag. [Of uncertain origin; perh. Scandinavian: cf. Sw. tacka a ewe.]
1. A sheep in its second year, or from the time it is weaned till its first shearing; a yearling sheep; = HOG sb.1 4, HOGGET 2. Formerly restricted to the female; now applied to both sexes (ewe and wether tegs). Also attrib. as teg sheep, wool (see b).
1537. in Priory of Hexham (Surtees), I. App. 130. Onc Stringor, that brought a tegg from Wresill.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 495. The first year, we call it … a Lamb,… the second year a Hog, Lam-hog, or Teg if it be a female.
1674. Ray, S. & E. C. Words, 77. Tagge, a sheep of the first year. Suss.
1688. Lond. Gaz., No. 2346/4. 20 Sheep … whereof 15 were Wethers, and 5 Tegs.
1733. Tull, Horse-Hoeing Husb., x. 104. Lambs of three weeks old … are called Tegs.
1789. Trans. Soc. Arts, I. 141. I turned in my Tegs (or one year old sheep).
1844. Stephens, Bk. Farm, II. 39. In England … sheep bear the name of lamb until 8 months old, after which they are called ewe and wether teggs until once clipped.
1866. [see HOG sb.1 4 b].
attrib. a. 1722. Lisle, Husbandry (1757), 388. I had a few teg or hog-sheep.
1889. Daily News, 16 Dec., 3/5. With regard to teg sheep, weaned within a fortnight of each other.
b. Teg wool, also ellipt. teg. (Cf. HOG sb.1 4 c.)
1854. Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., II. 223. The fleeces of the first shearing, amongst wool-dealers, are called indiscriminately Tegs or Hogs. Ibid., 331. Teg wool is the wool of the first shearing when the sheep is little more than a year old.
1879. Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 259.
1886. Elworthy, W. Somerset Word-bk., Teg … is not so often applied to the sheep as ‘hog,’ but more frequently to the wool.
† 2. A doe or female deer in its second year. Obs.
1530. Palsgr., 279/2. Tegge or pricket, saillant.
1568. Hist. Jacob & Esau, I. i. A iij. If we haue lucke thys day to kill Hare, Teg, or Doe.
1636. Althorp MS., in Simpkinson, Washingtons (1860), App. 78. A journey to Wormleighton with a bucke and a tegg.
1774. Goldsm., Nat. Hist. (1862), I. II. v. 329. The female is called a doe; the first year, a fawn; and the second, a tegg.
† 3. Applied contemptuously to a woman. Obs.
a. 1529. Skelton, El. Rummyng, 151. Full vntydy tegges, Lyke rotten egges. Ibid., Agst. Garnesche, I. 31. Your wynde schakyn shankkes, your longe lothy legges,… Bryngges yow out of fauyr with alle femall teggys.
