drag

Conchita Wurst in drag during the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest.

Meanings

Noun

  • Resistance of a fluid to something moving through it.
  • Any force acting in opposition to the motion of an object.
  • The bottom part of a sand casting mold.
  • A device dragged along the bottom of a body of water in search of something, e.g. a dead body, or in fishing.
  • A double drum-stroke played at twice the speed of the context in which it is placed.
  • A puff on a cigarette or joint.
  • Someone or something that is annoying or frustrating, or disappointing; an obstacle to progress or enjoyment.
  • A long open horse-drawn carriage with transverse or side seats.
  • Street, as in 'main drag'.
  • The scent-path left by dragging a fox, or some other substance such as aniseed, for training hounds to follow scents.
  • A large amount of backspin on the cue ball, causing the cue ball to slow down.
  • A heavy harrow for breaking up ground.
  • A kind of sledge for conveying heavy objects; also, a kind of low car or handcart.
  • The bottom part of a flask or mould, the upper part being the cope.
  • A steel instrument for completing the dressing of soft stone.
  • The difference between the speed of a screw steamer under sail and that of the screw when the ship outruns the screw; or between the propulsive effects of the different floats of a paddle wheel.
  • Anything towed in the water to retard a ship's progress, or to keep her head up to the wind; especially, a canvas bag with a hooped mouth (drag sail), so used.
  • A pulled load.
  • A skid or shoe for retarding the motion of a carriage wheel.
  • Motion affected with slowness and difficulty, as if clogged.
  • Witch house music.
  • The last position in a line of hikers.
  • A push somewhat under the centre of the cue ball, causing it to follow the object ball a short way.
  • A device for guiding wood to the saw.
  • A mailcoach.
  • A prison sentence of three months.
  • Women's clothing worn by men for the purpose of entertainment.
  • A men's party attended in women's clothing.
  • Any type of clothing or costume associated with a particular occupation or subculture.

Verb

  • To pull along a surface or through a medium, sometimes with difficulty.
  • To move onward heavily, laboriously, or slowly; to advance with weary effort; to go on lingeringly.
  • To act or proceed slowly or without enthusiasm; to be reluctant.
  • To draw along (something burdensome); hence, to pass in pain or with difficulty.
  • To serve as a clog or hindrance; to hold back.
  • To operate a pointing device by moving it with a button held down; to move, copy, etc. (an item) in this way.
  • To unintentionally rub or scrape on a surface.
  • To hit or kick off target.
  • To fish with a dragnet.
  • To search for something, as a lost object or body, by dragging something along the bottom of a body of water.
  • To break (land) by drawing a drag or harrow over it; to harrow.
  • To search exhaustively, as if with a dragnet.
  • To roast, say negative things about, or call attention to the flaws of (someone).
  • To perform as a drag queen or drag king.

Origin

  • From Middle English draggen ("to drag"), early Middle English dragen ("to draw, carry"), confluence of Old English dragan ("to drag, draw, draw oneself, go, protract") and Old Norse draga ("to draw, attract"); both from Proto-Germanic *draganą ("to draw, drag"), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰregʰ- ("to draw, drag"). Verb sense influenced due to association with the noun drag, related to Low German dragge ("a drag-anchor, grapnel"). Cognate with Danish drægge ("to dredge"), Danish drage ("to draw, attract"), Swedish dragga ("to drag, drag anchor, sweep"), Swedish draga ("to draw, go"), Icelandic draga ("to drag, pull"). draw.
  • Possibly from English drag ("to pull along a surface") because of the sensation of long skirts trailing on the floor, or from Yiddish טראָגן ("to wear")

Modern English dictionary

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