shanks' nag en · NOUN
Etymology
Traced back to shanks-nag, 1758; The expression -- believed to be Scottish in origin (i.e. shanks-naig 1774), refers to the use of shank to refer to the part of the human leg between the knee and ankle.
Meanings
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(Scotland, archaic, idiomatic) Transportation by foot. To "take a shanks' nag" means using one's own legs to walk.
He took shanks-naig, but fient may care.
1774, Robert Fergusson, Poems on Various Subjects:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| shanks' nags | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Relateds
Translations (4)
cmn 十一路 (walking) · sv apostlahästar (walking) · is ganga (walking) · is fara á tveimur jafnfljótum (walking)