fag /fæɡ/noun 10verb 5forms 3phrases 1 noun10 •(vulgar, offensive) A homosexual man.[1921 John Lind, The Female Impersonators (Historical Documentation of American Slang v. 1, A-G, edited by Jonathan E. Lighter (New York: Random House, 1994) page 716. Androgynes known as “fairies,” “fags,” or “brownies.”] •(vulgar, offensive) a homosexual person of any gender. •(vulgar, offensive) a queer person in general. •(vulgar, offensive) An effeminate or unusual homosexual man. •(UK, informal) A cigarette.‘What about a fag, boys?’ — 1933 •(vulgar, offensive) An annoying or contemptible person.Why did you do that, you fag? •(UK, informal) A younger student acting as a servant for senior students (potentially in a sexual or abusive way).I had the character at school of being the very best fag that ever came into it. — 1791 •(US) In textile inspections, a rough or coarse defect in the woven fabric. •(UK, informal) A chore: an arduous and tiresome task.Keeping up appearances is a bit of a fag, I grant, but if a girl respects herself it’s up to her not to let herself get slack. — 1923 •(informal, no longer used) The worst part or end of a thing.Fag, s. the worst part or end of anything. — 1788 verb5 •(UK, informal) (of a younger student) To act as a servant for senior students in many British boarding schools. To be the servant in fagging. •(UK, informal) To have (a younger student) act as a servant in this way, in fagging.It is everywhere observed that a liberated slave is apt to make a merciless master, and that boys who have been cruelly fagged at school are cruel faggers. — 1887 •(informal, no longer used) To make exhausted, tired out. •(informal, no longer used) To droop; to tire.Creighton with-held his force 'till the Italian began to fag, and then brought him to the ground. — 1829 •(UK, no longer used) To work hard, especially on menial chores.I walked about the streets where the best shops for ladies were, I haunted the Bazaar like an unquiet spirit, I fagged through the Park again and again, long after I was quite knocked up. — 1849 formsfagged · fagging · fags Phrases with fag fag outTo become untwisted or frayed, as the end of a rope, or the edge of canvas.
