Scrag
Origin
Perhaps related to Norwegian skragg (a lean person), dialectical Swedish skragge (old and torn thing), Danish skrog (hull, carcass); perhaps related to shrink.
Full definition of scrag
Noun
scrag
(plural scrags)- (archaic) A thin or scrawny person or animal. from the 16th c.
- (archaic) The lean end of a neck of mutton; the scrag end.
- (archaic) The neck, especially of a sheep.
- (Scotland) A scrog.
- (Australia, slang, derogatory) A rough or unkempt woman.
- 1998, June 9, Shane, feed up with noise in cinemas , The large guy said that he couldnt sit down the front because of an eye condition, and she said,out loud, "too bad, go down the front".
This was all heard by most of the crowd, 1 guy called her a bitch, i spoke out loud "what a scrag" Â which her boyfriend heard, he turned around agro like to defend her, when another guy yelled out "if you get agro about that son, ill be over there to show your girlfriend some manners", to which he promplty sat down :-), but after that she put her feet up on the seat in front of her !! - 1999, December 18, Kenny , The Observer AND the Times: Episode 3.7 Revelations , Post scrag fight, Buffy is sweetness and light in her cardy and teeny tiny handbag (plus blonde hair) contrasting with Faith who is lying in bed with her kill-me-thrill-me cutoff shorts (plus brunette hair).
- 2003, June 2, Peter Lucas, The Chief takes a hit, Get a life, you stupid scrag.
- A ragged, stunted tree or branch.
Verb
- (obsolete, colloquial) To hang on a gallows, or to strangle or garotte or choke.
- To harass, to manhandle
- 1958, P_G_Wodehouse, , Chapter 15'...I urged him ... to ... try the Ickenham System ... a little thing I knocked together in my bachelor days ... it has a good many points in common with all-in wrestling and osteopathy. I generally recommend it to diffident wooers and it always works like magic...'Johnny stared.'You mean you told McMurdo to ... scrag her?'
- To kill or destroy.
- 2009, Steve Augarde, Celandine Chapter , But they'll scrag you for it, you know, if you do. They scrag anyone who speaks to me.