LAG • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Lag

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/læg/ Listen

noun

Lag n.

1.

One who lags; that which comes in last. (Obs.) "The lag of all the flock."

2.

The fag-end; the rump; hence, the lowest class. "The common lag of people."

3.

The amount of retardation of anything, as of a valve in a steam engine, in opening or closing.

4.

A stave of a cask, drum, etc.; especially: (Mach.), One of the narrow boards or staves forming the covering of a cylindrical object, as a boiler, or the cylinder of a carding machine or a steam engine.

5.

(Zool.) See Graylag.

6.

The failing behind or retardation of one phenomenon with respect to another to which it is closely related; as, the lag of magnetization compared with the magnetizing force (hysteresis); the lag of the current in an alternating circuit behind the impressed electro-motive force which produced it.

Lag of the tide, the interval by which the time of high water falls behind the mean time, in the first and third quarters of the moon; opposed to priming of the tide, or the acceleration of the time of high water, in the second and fourth quarters; depending on the relative positions of the sun and moon.

Lag screw, an iron bolt with a square head, a sharp-edged thread, and a sharp point, adapted for screwing into wood; a screw for fastening lags.

Lag n. One transported for a crime. (Slang, Eng.)

verb

Lag v. t.

1.

To cause to lag; to slacken. (Obs.) "To lag his flight."

2.

(Mach.) To cover, as the cylinder of a steam engine, with lags. See Lag, n., 4.

Lag v. t. To transport for crime. (Slang, Eng.) "She lags us if we poach."

Lag v. i. (past & past part. lagged; pres. part. lagging) To walk or more slowly; to stay or fall behind; to linger or loiter. "I shall not lag behind."

Synonyms: To loiter; linger; saunter; delay; be tardy.

adjective

Lag adj.

1.

Coming tardily after or behind; slow; tardy. (Obs.) "Came too lag to see him buried."

2.

Last; long-delayed; obsolete, except in the phrase lag end. "The lag end of my life."

3.

Last made; hence, made of refuse; inferior. (Obs.) "Lag souls."

See images of 'Lag'

Etymology of 'Lag'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Lag" Quotes from Famous Books

... cool retreat. Whether the neighbouring water stands or runs, 30 Lay twigs across and bridge it o'er with stones That if rough storms, or sudden blasts of wind, Should dip or scatter those that lag behind, Here they may settle on the friendly stone, And dry their reeking pinions at the sun. Plant all the flowery banks with lavender, With store of savory scent the fragrant air; Let running betony the field o'erspread, And fountains ...

— The Poetical Works of Addison; Gay's Fables; and Somerville's Chase • Joseph Addison, John Gay, William Sommerville

... applications of power to the dirigible projectors of the life-boat, Stevens slowly shifted the position of the fragment which bore their craft until it was well clear of the other components of the mass of wreckage. He then exerted a very small retarding force, so that their bit would lag behind the procession, as though it had accidently been separated. But the crew of the captor was alert, and no sooner did a clear space show itself between them and the mass than a ray picked them up and herded them back into ...

— Spacehounds of IPC • Edward Elmer Smith

... numerous were the stragglers that when the French cavalry charged, they mustered in sufficient force to repel their attack, a proof that it was not so much fatigue as insubordination that caused them to lag behind. The rear-guard halted a few miles short of Friol and passed the night there, which enabled the disorganized army to rest and re-form. The loss during this unfortunate march was greater than that of all the former part of the retreat, added to ...

— With Moore At Corunna • G. A. Henty

... before, when Monckton was out on an expedition, Toku was carrying his master's revolver, but happened to lag behind the rest of the party without being noticed, when a man jumped out of the jungle and picked young Toku up in his arms, covering up his mouth so that he could not cry out, and proceeded to carry him off, no doubt intending to have a live roast. But Toku, ...

— Wanderings Among South Sea Savages And in Borneo and the Philippines • H. Wilfrid Walker

... column addition successful work is done by placing the problem on the board and following through the combinations by pointing the pointer and making a tap on the board as one proceeds through the column. Concert work of this sort seems to have the effect of speeding up those who would ordinarily lag, even though they might get the right result. The most skillful teachers of typewriting count or clap their hands or use the phonograph for the sake of speeding up their students. They have discovered that the same amount of time devoted to typewriting practice will produce anywhere from ...

— How to Teach • George Drayton Strayer and Naomi Norsworthy

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