QUAGMIRE  , a

bog or marsh, a piece of ground so saturated with water that it cannot support any weight . The word is composed of " quag " or " quake " (O.E. cwacian; cf . " quaver," " quiver ") and " mire, " mud (Icel. myri, Swed. myr) . Skeat suggests that quag may be connected with the root seen in " quick," and quotes (Etym . Dict . 1898) Piers Plowman, c. xxi . 64, of an earthquake, the earth " quook as it quyke were," i.e. shook as if it were alive.traced to the Highlands; it was not until the end of the 17th century that they became popular in such large centres as Edinburgh and Glasgow . The silversmiths of such local gilds as Inverness and Perth frequently mounted them in silver, as may be seen from the hall-marks on the existing examples . They are found, of silver and pewter, in use as communion cups in various parts of Scotland; four, with the Edinburgh hall-mark for 1722, belong to Ayr parish church; and a large one with the same hall-mark for 1663–1684 is used as an alms-dish at Alvah, Banffshire . The loving cup at Donaldson's hospital, Edinburgh, is a large silver .quaich, with the Edinburgh stamp for 1724, which belonged to the founder of that hospital . The finest collection of these vessels is in the possession of the marquess of Breadalbane . (E .

A .