fag

UK: /ˈfæg/ US: /fæg/ ,(fag)

Inflections of 'fag' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

fags

v 3rd person singular

fagging

v pres p

fagged

v past

fagged

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

fag¹ /fæg/   n. 

[countable]
1. Slang Terms a cigarette.
2. Slang Terms (disparaging and offensive). a male homosexual.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

fag¹  (fag), v., fagged, fag•ging, n. 
v.t. 

1. to tire or weary by labor;
   exhaust (often fol. by out):
   The long climb fagged us out.
2. British Terms to require (a younger public-school pupil) to do menial chores.
3. Nautical, Naval Terms to fray or unlay the end of (a rope).

v.i. 

4. British Terms [Chiefly Brit.] to work until wearied;
   work hard:
   to fag away at French.
5. British Terms to do menial chores for an older public-school pupil.

n. 

6. Slang Terms a cigarette.
7. Textiles a fag end, as of cloth.
8. Textiles a rough or defective spot in a woven fabric;
   blemish;
   flaw.
9. British Terms [Chiefly Brit.] drudgery;
   toil.
10. British Terms a younger pupil in a British public school required to perform certain menial tasks for, and submit to the hazing of, an older pupil.
11. a drudge.

• 1425–75; late Middle English fagge broken thread in cloth, loose end (of obscure origin, originally); sense development apparently: drooping end to droop, tire to make weary drudgery, drudge (compare relationship of flag¹ to flag³); (def. 6) a shortening of fag end (a butt, hence a cigarette)

fag²  (fag), 

1. Slang Terms n. Slang (disparaging and offensive). faggot².

• by shortening 1920–25, American.

fag′gish, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

fag / fæɡ/ noun

1. a boring or wearisome task
2. (esp formerly) a young public school boy who performs menial chores for an older boy or prefect

verb (fags, fagging, fagged)

1. when tr, often followed by out: to become or cause to become exhausted by hard toil or work
2. (usually intr) to do or cause to do menial chores in a public school

Etymology: 18th Century: of obscure origin

fag / fæɡ/ noun

1. 
   a slang word for cigarette

Etymology: 16th Century (in the sense: something hanging loose, flap): of obscure origin

fag / fæɡ/ noun

1. 
   short for faggot2