fag

1 of 6

verb (1)

fagged; fagging

intransitive verb

: to work hard : toil

transitive verb

: to tire by strenuous activity : exhaust
fagged by the strenuous climb

fag

2 of 6

noun (1)

1
chiefly British : toil, drudgery
it is such a fag; I came back tired to deathJane Austen
2

fag

3 of 6

noun (2)

: an English public-school boy who acts as servant to an older schoolmate

fag

4 of 6

verb (2)

fagged; fagging; fags

intransitive verb

: to serve as a fag (see fag entry 3) especially in an English public school
fagging for older boys during his first year

fag

5 of 6

noun (3)

fag

6 of 6

noun (4)

plural fags
offensive
: a gay person
used as a term of abuse and disparagement
faggy adjective offensive

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1) and Noun (1)

perhaps from obsolete fag to droop, from fag fag end

Noun (2) and Verb (2)

probably short for faggot

Noun (3)

fag end

Noun (4)

see faggot

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1772, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (1)

1770, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun (2)

1785, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1806, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

circa 1888, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

1921, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fag was in 1770

Dictionary Entries Near fag

Cite this Entry

“Fag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fag. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

fag

1 of 3 verb
fagged; fagging
1
: to work hard : toil
2
: to act as a fag in an English public school
3
: to tire by hard work

fag

2 of 3 noun
1
: an English public-school boy who acts as a servant to another
2

fag

3 of 3 noun
Etymology

Verb

from obsolete fag "to droop"

Noun

from fag end

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