subs. (colloquial).—1. A horse; a MOUNT (q.v.): see PRAD. Also NAGGON, NAGGIE or NAGGY, and (Scots’) = a horse of blood.
c. 1189. The Destruction of Troy [E.E.T.S.], I., 7727. He neyt as a NAGGE, at his nose thrilles!
c. 1596. Dick o’ the Cow [CHILD, Ballads, VI., 80].
| And yet here is [a] white-footed NAGIE, | |
| I think he’ll carry baith thee and me. |
1598. SHAKESPEARE, 1 Henry IV., iii. 1. 135. Like the forced gait of a shuffling NAG.
1611. CORYAT, Crudities, I. 287. I saw but one horse in all Venice … and that was a little bay NAGGE.
1624–45. J. SPALDING, History of the Troubles and Memorable Transactions in Scotland (1850), ii., 183. [JAMIESON]. The ladies came out with two gray plaids, and gat two work NAIGS, which bore them into Aberdeen.
1630. TAYLOR (‘The Water Poet’), Workes. My verses are made, to ride every Jade, but they are forbidden, of Jades to be ridden, they shall not be snaffled, nor braved nor baffled, wert thou George with thy NAGGON, that foughtst with Draggon.
1692. SIR R. L’ESTRANGE, Fables. A hungry lion would fain have been dealing with good horseflesh; but the NAG was too fleet.
d. 1721. PRIOR, To a young Gentleman who loved to drive hard with a sorry pair of Horses.
| Thy NAGS, the leanest things alive, | |
| So very hard thou lov’st to drive, | |
| I heard thy anxious coachman say | |
| It cost thee more in whips than hay. |
1755. JOHNSTON, English Dictionary, s.v. NAG. A horse in familiar language.
1791. BURNS, Tam O’Shanter.
| That ev’ry NAIG was ca’d a shoe on, | |
| The smith and thee gat roaring fou on. |
1836. H. M. MILNER, Turpin’s Ride to York, i., 3. If your mistress is only as true to you as my NAG is to me.
1864. YATES, Broken to Harness, xxxviii. Old boy was splendacious, did everything one wanted—good NAG to ride, good shooting, capital cellar—let you smoke where you like—no end!
1887. W. E. HENLEY, Villon’s Straight Tip to all Cross Coves, i. Or fake the broads? or fig a NAG?
2. (venery).—The penis: see CREAMSTICK and PRICK.
1675. COTTON, Burlesque upon Burlesque: or, The Scoffer Scofft [Works (1725), p. 174].
| Let her alone, and come not at her, | |
| But elsewhere, lead thy NAG to water. |
c. 1707. Old Ballad, ‘The Trooper Watering His Nagg’ [FARMER, Merry Songs and Ballads (1896), i. 192].
| And when Night came on to Bed they went,… | |
| Quoth she, what is this so stiff and warm,… | |
| Tis Ball my NAG he will do you harm. |
3. In pl. (venery).—The testes: see CODS. Span., angle.
4. (common).—A whore; a JADE (q.v.).
1598. MARSTON, Scourge of Villanie, vi., 64.
| Gull with bombast lines the witlesse sense | |
| Of these odde NAGS, whose pates circumference | |
| Is fill’d with froth. |
1608. SHAKESPEARE, Antony and Cleopatra, iii., 10, 10. You ribaudred NAG of Egypt.
1775. ASH, Dictionary, s.v. NAG … a paramour.
Verb. (colloquial).—To scold, or fault-find persistently; to tiff. Whence NAGGER = a persistent scold; NAGGING (subs. and adj.) = fault-finding; and NAGGY = shrewish; irritable.
1846. Notes and Queries, x., 89. NAGGING—whence is this word derived?
c. 1855. DICKENS, Ruined by Railways. You always heard her NAGGING the maids.
1861. THACKERAY, Lovel the Widower, iii. Is it pleasing to … have your wife NAG-NAGGING you because she has not been invited to the Lady Chancelloress’s soirée, or what not.
1869. Orchestra, 14 March, ‘Reviews.’ Don’t NAG. I know the expression is vulgar, and not in the dictionaries.
1872. Daily News, 10 Aug. Harvey pleaded in his defence that his wife was a NAGGER.
1880. W. D. HOWELLS, The Undiscovered Country, ii. The … sparrows … quarrelled about over the grass, or made love like the NAGGING lovers out of a lady’s novel.
1882. Athenæum, 25 Feb. Describes Agnes as having NAGGED the painter to death.
1884. BESANT, Julia, ii. Where there would be no old grandmother to beat and NAG at her.
TO WATER THE NAG (or DRAGON), verb. phr. (common).—To urinate: see DRAGON.
