Searchable Lemmata: jagge (ME), jagga (L), jag (OScots), jag (MdE), jaggen (ME), jaggare (L), jag (MdE), jagged (MdE).
Alternate Forms: gagg, iage, iagge, iagges, iaggis, jagges, jaggas, jogges, iaggyd, iagged, iaggid, jaggid, jaggede, jaggyd, jagued.
1a(n.)
Decoration;
dag (ME dagge) or ornamental point along the edge of a garment, normally cut in the shape of a point or a leaf as part of a repeated pattern. In modern usage (from c1550), could describe a shred of cloth, a rag; also (from c1600) an attached pendant or fringe.(circa 1440 - ante 1600)
2. [63] ... Summe men y saw ... with mo iagges on here clothis than hole clothe ... and y saw the iagges ... turne al to addres ... I saw also fendes drawyng down þe skynne of here shulders like to pokes and kittyng hem of ... women with gownes trayleng bi hinde hem a moche space ... and þo side trayles cut of with fendes and ybrent on here hedes ... [68] ... Þilk serpentes ... ben here iaggis and daggis þat þei vsidden
Biblical/Hagiographic, Heroic.
[MED Vision Staunton ((Roy 17.B.43) 63-68) ante 1405]
Sex: Male, Female Use: Secular Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
1b(n.)
Decoration;
slit or tear in a garment. In some instances ornamental; often jags formed part of a repeated pattern (down a sleeve, for example), and often they allowed the material of an undergarment to show through. [In some examples it is difficult to distinguish 1a from 1b.](ante 1400 - post 1700 ?)
2. si quis ... vult jaggare vel scindere superiorem partem sue tunice et dictas jaggas sive scissuras modicum elevare et eas cum parvulis campanis vel aliis ... pulverizare
Other.
[DMLBS UPTON (248) ante 1457]
Sex: Male, Female Use: Secular Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
2a(vb.)
Decoration;
to 'jag'; to pierce, slash or cut. Also (in examples given), to pierce, slash or cut clothing; to ornament a garment with jags (or dags); also, to decorate the border of chain mail in a similar fashion. Also appears as a ppl.: jagged, ragged, torn; also describes a serrated leaf.(ante 1400 - post 1800 ?)
1. j mantill cum capicio de veridi, lyred ... Pro j clathsek, vocato standard, de corrio ... Pro uno bordour de mayle, jaggyd, cum laton pro gall ... Pro uno pare de qwysschewes de mayle
Wills.
[MED Will York in Sur. Soc. 45 (73) 1423]
2. [173] ... That was a fourrure of a gowne of wyngys ... A gowne of blak velvet upon velvet that was single with rond slyves ... Delivred to Guillemette de Rewe, the fourrure of sables that was withynne the said gowne of damaske ... Delivred to maistresse Darcy: a gowne of blak velvet upon satyn fourred with gray with trompes slyves ...
[174] ... A gowne of blak cloth with trompes slyves fourred with bougie ... The fourrure of grey that was in the manntel of damaske abovesaid, the whiche fourrure was putted in a lytil gowne of cloth ... Item ... a gowne of blak cloth fourred weth pured menuver ... To the performyng of the said fourrure went iii tyrys of the surcot ... to the parformyng of the said manntel fourred with ermynes went a paire of gret slyves and a tyre and half of the surcot ... delivred to my lady Harpedeyne a gowne of velvet upon velvet fourred with ermynes with trompe slyves ...
[175] ... A gowne of satin fourred with ermynes the whiche fourrure was taken of the mantel of vi tyryrs [read: tyrys] and xxxvi bakys of ermyne ... A paire of gret slyves of sables jagued
Accounts.
[MED Invent.Q.Katherine in Sus.AC 37 ((Add 32645) 173-175) 1437]
5. Sir Arthure ... Armede hym in a acton with orfraeez full ryche, Abouen on þat a jeryn of Acres owte-ouer, Abouen þat a jesseraunt of jentyll maylez, A jupon of Ierodyn jaggede in schredez
Arthurian, Heroic, Romance.
[MED Morte Arth.(1) ((Thrn) 905) circa 1440]
7. [175] ... Item, j hode of depe grene felwet, jakgyd uppon the rolle ... Item, j jagged huke of blakke sengle ... Item, j hode of skarlet with a rolle of purpill felwet, bordered with the same felwet; Item, j hode of blake satayne, the rolle of blake felwet. ... Item, j jakket of sateyne fugre ...
[179] ... Item, a coveryng of a bedde ... a man in blewe with a jagged hoode, white and rede
[MED Paston (3.175-179) 1459]
Sex: Male, Female Use: Secular Ceremonial: No
Body Parts: N/A.
Speculative, Possibly from Old French *jagaye (variant of zagaye, a spear head). Also cf. Old French jagloi and jaglel (variants of glaiuel, from L gladiolus = a small sword, water-flag, etc.). L jagga from ME. The verbal forms are probably derived from the nominal.
The OED adds, '...the Celtic gàg ‘split, rent, fissure’, sometimes compared, cannot (in our present knowledge) be connected phonetically. It is possible that the two notions of ‘cut or slash’, and ‘pierce’, ought to be referred to separate words (cf. DAG v.1 and v.2)....' ['jag, n.1', OED, 2nd ed. (1989)].
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