teg, tag
(tɛg), (tæg)
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 n.1 4, hogget 2. Formerly restricted to the female; now applied to both sexes (ewe teg and wether tegs). Also attrib. as teg sheep, teg wool (see b).
| 1537 in Priory of Hexham (Surtees) I. App. 130 One 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 n.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 n.1 4 c.)
| 1854 A. E. 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. ― Agst. Garnesche i. 31 Your wynde schakyn shankkes, your longe lothy legges,..Bryngges yow out of fauyr with alle femall teggys. |