Verb. (once literary: now colloquial).—1. To drag; also to take by the ears.
d.1189. Destruction of Troy [E. E. T. S.], 1, 6663. With myche wepyng and wo, weghis of his aune luggit hym out to the laund.
1609. Shakspeare, Timon of Athens, iv. 3, 31. Why, this Will lug your priests and servants from your sides.
1726. Swift, Gulliver, '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. Physic and divinity are lugged in by the head and shoulders.
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 at 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 dont want to lug in any of the other people at Roper's.'
To lug out, verb. phr. (old).—To draw (as a sword).
1688. T. Shadwell, Squire of Alsatia. The Prigster lugg'd out in defence of his natural, the Captain whipt his Porker out, and away rubb'd Prigster and call'd the watch.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1690. Dryden, Don Sebastian, iv. 1. 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. Were the bishop blessed and worth both his eares His seale shold not be sent to deceyue the people.
To have a flea in one's lug. See Ear.
To lay one's lugs, verb. phr. (Scots').—To wager.
Lug-chovey, subs. (thieves').—A
pawnbroker's shop.
Lugger, subs. (American thieves').—A
sailor.—Matsell (1859).
Lug-loaf, subs. (old).—A blockhead.
1606. Wily Beguiled [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), ix. 275]. She had little reason to take a cullion lug-loaf, milksop slave, when she may have a lawyer, a gentleman.
Luke, (old).—Nothing.—Haggart
(1821).
Lull, subs. (old).—Ale.
c.1636. London Chanticleers, Sc. 9. Mine host, Welcome, has a cup of blessed lull.
Lullaby, subs. (venery).—The
penis. For synonyms see Cream-*stick
and Prick.
Lullaby-Cheat, subs. (old).—A
baby.
1671. Head, English Rogue. Carried at her back a lullaby-cheat.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Lullaby-cheat.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
