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ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

drag.

Resistance of a fluid to something moving through it.

4 characters1 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/dɹæɡ/General-American, Received-Pronunciation[ˈdɹʷæɡ]General-American, Received-Pronunciation[d͡ʒɹʷæɡ]General-American, Received-Pronunciation/dɹaɡ/British, Northern-England, Southern, Standard
  1. Resistance of a fluid to something moving through it.

    uncountable
    When designing cars, manufacturers have to take drag into consideration.
  2. Any force acting in opposition to the motion of an object.

    countable · uncountable
    A high thrust-to-weight ratio helps a rocket to overcome the effects of gravity drag.
  3. A device dragged along the bottom of a body of water in search of something, e.g. a dead body, or in fishing.

    countable
  4. A systematic search for someone over a wide area, especially by the authorities; a dragnet.

    countable · informal
  5. A double drum-stroke played at twice the speed of the context in which it is placed.

    countable
  6. A puff on a cigarette or joint.

    countable · informal
    He got high after just one drag of the joint.
    Give me a drag on that roach!
  7. Someone or something that is annoying or frustrating, or disappointing; an obstacle to progress or enjoyment.

    countable · slang
    Travelling to work in the rush hour is a real drag.
  8. A long open horse-drawn carriage with transverse or side seats.

    countable · slang
  9. A street.

    countable · slang
    the main drag
    a back drag
  10. The scent-path left by dragging a fox, or some other substance such as aniseed, for training hounds to follow scents.

    countable
    to run a drag
  11. A large amount of backspin on the cue ball, causing the cue ball to slow down.

    uncountable
  12. A heavy harrow for breaking up ground.

    countable · uncountable
  13. A kind of sledge for conveying heavy objects; also, a kind of low car or handcart.

    countable · uncountable
    a stone drag
  14. The bottom part of a sand casting mold.

    countable
  15. A steel instrument for completing the dressing of soft stone.

    countable · uncountable
  16. 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.

    countable · uncountable
  17. 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.

    countable · uncountable
  18. A pulled load.

    countable · uncountable
  19. A skid or shoe for retarding the motion of a carriage wheel.

    countable · uncountable
  20. Motion affected with slowness and difficulty, as if clogged.

    countable · uncountable
  21. Witch house music.

    uncountable
  22. The last position in a line of hikers.

    countable · uncountable
  23. A push somewhat under the centre of the cue ball, causing it to follow the object ball a short way.

    countable · uncountable
  24. A device for guiding wood to the saw.

    countable · uncountable
  25. A mailcoach.

    countable · historical · uncountable
  26. A prison sentence of three months.

    countable · slang · uncountable
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰregʰ- Proto-Indo-European *dʰrógʰ-e-ti Proto-Germanic *draganą Proto-West Germanic *dragan Old English dragan Middle English dragen Middle English draggen Low German draggeinflu. English drag 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 (“that which is hauled or dragged”), 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”). Doublet of draw.

verb/dɹæɡ/General-American, Received-Pronunciation[ˈdɹʷæɡ]General-American, Received-Pronunciation[d͡ʒɹʷæɡ]General-American, Received-Pronunciation/dɹaɡ/British, Northern-England, Southern, Standard
  1. To pull along a surface or through a medium, sometimes with difficulty.

    transitive
    Let's drag this load of wood over to the shed.
    The misbehaving child was dragged out of the classroom.
  2. To proceed heavily, laboriously, or slowly; to advance with weary effort; to go on lingeringly.

    Time seems to drag when you're waiting for a bus.
  3. To act or proceed slowly or without enthusiasm; to be reluctant.

  4. To draw along (something burdensome); hence, to pass in pain or with difficulty.

  5. To serve as a clog or hindrance; to hold back.

  6. To operate a pointing device by moving it with a button held down; to move, copy, etc. (an item) in this way.

    Drag the file into the window to open it.
  7. To unintentionally rub or scrape on a surface.

    The car was so low to the ground that its muffler was dragging on a speed bump.
  8. To hit or kick off target.

  9. To fish with a dragnet.

  10. To search for something, as a lost object or body, by dragging something along the bottom of a body of water.

  11. To break (land) by drawing a drag or harrow over it; to harrow.

  12. To search exhaustively, as if with a dragnet.

    figuratively
  13. To roast, say negative things about, or call attention to the flaws of (someone).

    slang
    You just drag him 'cause he's got more money than you.
  14. To play at a slower tempo than one is supposed to or than the other musicians one is playing with, or to inadvertently gradually decrease tempo while one is playing.

    intransitive
  15. To inhale from a cigarette, cigar, etc.

    informal · intransitive
  16. To drag something on.

    Australia · slang · transitive
    Mate, you're just dragging it now.
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰregʰ- Proto-Indo-European *dʰrógʰ-e-ti Proto-Germanic *draganą Proto-West Germanic *dragan Old English dragan Middle English dragen Middle English draggen Low German draggeinflu. English drag 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 (“that which is hauled or dragged”), 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”). Doublet of draw.

adj/dɹæɡ/General-American, Received-Pronunciation[ˈdɹʷæɡ]General-American, Received-Pronunciation[d͡ʒɹʷæɡ]General-American, Received-Pronunciation/dɹaɡ/British, Northern-England, Southern, Standard
  1. Dragged on; unnecessary or superfluous, especially for an already settled issue; too much.

    Australia · slang
    Wallah, the task is so drag.
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰregʰ- Proto-Indo-European *dʰrógʰ-e-ti Proto-Germanic *draganą Proto-West Germanic *dragan Old English dragan Middle English dragen Middle English draggen Low German draggeinflu. English drag 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 (“that which is hauled or dragged”), 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”). Doublet of draw.

noun/dɹæɡ/General-American, Received-Pronunciation[ˈdɹʷæɡ]General-American, Received-Pronunciation[d͡ʒɹʷæɡ]General-American, Received-Pronunciation/dɹaɡ/British, Northern-England, Southern, Standard
  1. A performance art form associated with the LGBTQ+ community, that features a stylized and exaggerated portrayal of femininity or, at times, masculinity, often playing with gender stereotypes.

    uncountable · usually
  2. Clothing, accessories, and makeup used in this art form, especially: Women's clothing, accessories, and makeup worn by men for the purpose of entertainment.

    slang · uncountable · usually
    He performed in drag.
  3. Clothing, accessories, and makeup used in this art form, especially: Men's clothing, accessories, and makeup worn by women for the purpose of entertainment.

    slang · uncountable · usually
  4. A men's party attended in women's clothing.

    countable · slang · usually
  5. A drag king or drag queen.

    countable · slang · usually
  6. Any type of clothing or costume associated with a particular occupation or subculture.

    slang · uncountable · usually
    corporate drag
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰregʰ- Proto-Indo-European *dʰrógʰ-e-ti Proto-Germanic *draganą Proto-West Germanic *dragan Old English dragan Middle English dragen Middle English draggen Low German draggeinflu. English drag? ▲ Proto-West Germanic *dragan Old High German tragan Middle High German tragen Yiddish טראָגן (trogn)? English drag Possibly from English drag (“to pull along a surface”) because of the sensation of long skirts trailing on the floor, or from Yiddish טראָגן (trogn, “to wear”)

verb/dɹæɡ/General-American, Received-Pronunciation[ˈdɹʷæɡ]General-American, Received-Pronunciation[d͡ʒɹʷæɡ]General-American, Received-Pronunciation/dɹaɡ/British, Northern-England, Southern, Standard
  1. To perform as a drag queen or drag king.

    informal · intransitive
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰregʰ- Proto-Indo-European *dʰrógʰ-e-ti Proto-Germanic *draganą Proto-West Germanic *dragan Old English dragan Middle English dragen Middle English draggen Low German draggeinflu. English drag? ▲ Proto-West Germanic *dragan Old High German tragan Middle High German tragen Yiddish טראָגן (trogn)? English drag Possibly from English drag (“to pull along a surface”) because of the sensation of long skirts trailing on the floor, or from Yiddish טראָגן (trogn, “to wear”)

noun/dɹæɡ/General-American, Received-Pronunciation[ˈdɹʷæɡ]General-American, Received-Pronunciation[d͡ʒɹʷæɡ]General-American, Received-Pronunciation/dɹaɡ/British, Northern-England, Southern, Standard
  1. Clipping of dragon.

    abbreviation · alt-of · clipping · informal · uncommon
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Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.