lag
1 of 7noun (1)
ˈlag 
1
: one that lags or is last
2
a
: the act or the condition of lagging
b
: comparative slowness or retardation
c(1)
: an amount of lagging or the time during which lagging continues
(2)
: a space of time especially between related events or phenomena : interval
3
: the action of lagging for opening shot (as in marbles or billiards)
4
golf : a usually long putt struck with the aim of having the ball stop near the hole
lag
2 of 7verb (1)
lagged; lagging
intransitive verb
1
a
: to stay or fall behind : linger, loiter
b
: to move, function, or develop with comparative slowness
c
: to become retarded in attaining maximum value
2
: to slacken or weaken gradually : flag
3
: to toss or roll a marble toward a line or a cue ball toward the head cushion to determine order of play
4
golf : to hit a lag putt (see lag entry 1 sense 4)
transitive verb
1
: to lag behind
current that lags the voltage
2
: to pitch or shoot (a coin, a marble, etc.) at a mark
3
golf : to hit (a golf ball or putt) with the aim of having the ball stop near the hole
Woods lagged his first putt to within four feet and then sank his second one to win.
Tim Crothers
Tim Crothers lagger noun
lag
3 of 7adjective
: last, hindmost
lag
4 of 7noun (2)
1
: a barrel stave
2
: a stave, slat, or strip (as of wood or asbestos) forming part of a covering for a cylindrical object
lag
5 of 7verb (2)
lagged; lagging
transitive verb
: to cover or provide with lags
lag
6 of 7verb (3)
lagged; lagging
transitive verb
1
chiefly British slang : to transport or jail for crime
2
chiefly British slang : arrest
lag
7 of 7noun (3)
1
chiefly British slang
a
: a person transported for crime
b
: convict
c
: an ex-convict
2
chiefly British slang : a jail sentence : stretch
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- decay
- droop
- emaciate
- fade
- fail
- flag
- go
- languish
- sag
- sink
- waste (away)
- weaken
- wilt
- wither
Adjective
- bottommost
- closing
- concluding
- final
- hindmost
- last
- latest
- latter
- rearmost
- terminal
- terminating
- ultimate
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective we're now in the lag end of the project
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian dialect lagga to go slowly
Noun (2)
probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse lǫgg rim of a barrel
Verb (3)
origin unknown
First Known Use
Noun (1)
1514, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (1)
1530, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Adjective
1552, in the meaning defined above
Noun (2)
1672, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
1870, in the meaning defined above
Verb (3)
circa 1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (3)
circa 1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing lag
Kids Definition
lag 1 of 2
noun
ˈlag
: a space of time between two events
We resumed work after a short lag.
lag
2 of 2verb
lagged; lagging
: to move or advance slowly or more slowly than others
Work lagged behind schedule.
One hiker lagged behind the group. Medical Definition
lag 1 of 2
verb
ˈlag
lagged; lagging
intransitive verb
: to move, function, or develop with comparative slowness
the child lagged in perceptual development
symptoms may lag behind the radiographic changes Carol J. Johns & Theresa M. Michele
Carol J. Johns & Theresa M. Micheletransitive verb
: to lag behind
current that lags the voltage
lag
2 of 2noun
1
: the act or the condition of lagging
2
: comparative slowness or retardation (as in growth or development)
3
a
: a space of time especially between related events or phenomena see lag phase
b
: the time between the application of a stimulus and the occurrence of the response it causes
lags 1 of 2
verb
1
as in fades
to lose bodily strength or vigor during the fourth quarter the whole team seemed to lag Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fades
- sags
- weakens
- goes
- fails
- sinks
- languishes
- droops
- deteriorates
- decays
- wilts
- withers
- flags
- emaciates
- wastes (away)
- yields
- rots
- breaks down
- degenerates
- wears out
- runs down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- recovers
- rebounds
- rallies
- gains
- recuperates
- convalesces
2
as in delays
to move or act slowly the tired puppy was lagging behind the rest of the pack Synonyms & Similar Words
- delays
- drags
- lingers
- crawls
- pokes
- dawdles
- creeps
- plays
- loiters
- shuffles
- strolls
- marks time
- mopes
- staggers
- drops behind
- diddles
- hangs fire
- stalls
- tarries
- falls behind
- dallies
- lollygags
- idles
- lallygags
- drags one's heels
- dillydallies
- lounges
- shilly-shallies
- takes one's time
- drags one's feet
- decelerates
- fools around
- ambles
- eases
- inches
- saunters
- messes around
- plods
- trifles
- lolls
- lumbers
- loafs
- temporizes
- procrastinates
- potters (around)
- putters (around)
- fiddles (around)
- monkeys (around)
- hangs (around or out)
- slows (down or up)
- filibusters
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- speeds
- runs
- races
- tears
- flies
- rushes
- rips
- hurries
- barrels
- whizzes
- hastens
- courses
- scurries
- whirls
- dashes
- hurtles
- scoots
- zips
- careers
- whisks
- hustles
- rockets
- runs
- bolts
- scuds
- hotfoots (it)
- scrambles
- humps
- accelerates
- darts
- breezes
- stampedes
- trots
- gallops
- jogs
- sprints
- bowls
- outpaces
- quickens
- speeds (up)
- outstrips
- overtakes
- outruns
- catches up
- fast-forwards
lags
2 of 2noun
as in slowdowns
Synonyms & Similar Words
- slowdowns
- delays
- pauses
- hesitations
- setbacks
- waits
- holdups
- foot-draggings
- postponements
- deferrals
- holding patterns
- detentions
- respites
- detainments
- holdbacks
- deferments
- reprieves
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rushes
- hastes
- dispatches
- promptitudes