1848. Burton, Waggeries etc., p. 12. The second luff, who was in
the cutter, ordered us to ‘go ahead.’
Lug, subs. (old).—1. The ear. Fr. isgourde.
1592. Lyly, Midas, ii. 5. Dare you think your clumsy lugs so proper
to decide, as the delicate ears of Justice Midas.
1592. Greene, 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 Markall, p. 39 (H. Club’s Repr. 1874).
Lugges, eares.
1625. Ben Jonson, Staple of News, v. 1. A fine round head when
those two lugs are off.
1651–57. Ray, Cleaveland’s Poems, With hair in characters, and lugs
in texts.
1652. Tatham, Scotch Figgaries, v. Come, lend y’ar lugs.
1653. Brome, Mad Couple, iv. 1. Take her at her word again, sir,
and I shall take you by the luggs.
1675. Cotton, 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.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Luggs: hence ‘to lugg by the
ears.’
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1762. Foote, The Orators, i. Satan ... whispers a fast speech in
her lug.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1819. Moore, Tom Crib, p. 7. Round lugs and ogles flew the frequent
fist.
1822. Scott, 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.
1823. 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.
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.