Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

drag       (drāg)  Pronunciation Key  v.   dragged, drag·ging, drags v.   tr. To pull along with difficulty or effort; haul: dragged the heavy box out of the way. See Synonyms at pull. To cause to trail along a surface, especially the ground. Computer Science To move (a pointing device, such as a mouse) while pressing down on one of its buttons. To move (an element of a graphical display) on a computer screen using a pointing device. To search or sweep the bottom of (a body of water), as with a grappling hook or dragnet. To bring up or catch by such means. To move or bring by force or with great effort: had to drag him to the dentist; dragged the truth out of the reluctant witness. To search or sweep the bottom of (a body of water), as with a grappling hook or dragnet. To bring up or catch by such means. To prolong tediously: dragged the story out. Baseball To hit (a bunt) while taking the first steps toward first base. To break up, rake, or smooth out (land or dirt), especially by pulling a drag or heavy mesh: dragged the infield between innings. v.   intr. To trail along the ground: The dog's leash dragged on the sidewalk. To move slowly or with effort. To lag behind. To pass or proceed slowly, tediously, or laboriously: The time dragged as we waited. Computer Science To move a pointing device while pressing down on one of its buttons. To search or dredge the bottom of a body of water: dragging for the sunken craft. To take part in or as if in a drag race. To draw on a cigarette, pipe, or cigar. n.   The act of dragging. Something, such as a harrow or an implement for spreading manure, that is dragged along the ground. A device, such as a grappling hook, that is used for dragging under water. A heavy sledge or cart for hauling loads. A large four-horse coach with seats inside and on top. Something, such as a sea anchor or a brake on a fishing reel, that retards motion. One that impedes or slows progress; a drawback or burden: the drag of taxation on economic growth. The degree of resistance involved in dragging or hauling. The retarding force exerted on a moving body by a fluid medium such as air or water. A slow, laborious motion or movement. The scent or trail of a fox or another animal. Something that provides an artificial scent. Slang One that is obnoxiously tiresome: The evening was a real drag. A puff on a cigarette, pipe, or cigar. Slang A street or road: the town's main drag. The clothing characteristic of one sex when worn by a member of the opposite sex: an actor in drag. adj.   Of, relating to, or being a person wearing clothing characteristic of the opposite sex: a drag performer; a drag show. [Middle English draggen, from Old Norse draga or variant of Middle English drawen; see draw.]

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
drag 

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

drag
noun
1.	the phenomenon of resistance to motion through a fluid
2.	something that slows or delays progress; "taxation is a drag on the economy"; "too many laws are a drag on the use of new land"
3.	something tedious and boring; "peeling potatoes is a drag"
4.	clothing that is conventionally worn by the opposite sex (especially women's clothing when worn by a man); "he went to the party dressed in drag"; "the waitresses looked like missionaries in drag"
5.	a slow inhalation (as of tobacco smoke); "he took a puff on his pipe"; "he took a drag on his cigarette and expelled the smoke slowly" [syn: puff]
6.	the act of dragging (pulling with force); "the drag up the hill exhausted him"
verb
1.	pull, as against a resistance; "He dragged the big suitcase behind him"; "These worries were dragging at him"
2.	draw slowly or heavily; "haul stones"; "haul nets" [syn: haul]
3.	force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action; "They were swept up by the events"; "don't drag me into this business" [syn: embroil]
4.	move slowly and as if with great effort
5.	to lag or linger behind; "But in so many other areas we still are dragging"
6.	suck in or take (air); "draw a deep breath"; "draw on a cigarette" [syn: puff]
7.	use a computer mouse to move icons on the screen and select commands from a menu; "drag this icon to the lower right hand corner of the screen"
8.	walk without lifting the feet [syn: scuff]
9.	search (as the bottom of a body of water) for something valuable or lost [syn: dredge]
10.	persuade to come away from something attractive or interesting; "He dragged me away from the television set"
11.	proceed for an extended period of time; "The speech dragged on for two hours"

American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

drag

In addition to the idioms beginning with drag, also see a drag; in drag; look like something the cat dragged in; main drag; wild horses wouldn't drag me.

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

drag       (drāg)  Pronunciation Key  A force acting on a moving body, opposite in direction to the movement of the body, caused by the interaction of the body and the medium it moves through. The strength of drag usually depends on the velocity of the body. Drag caused by buildup of pressure in front of the moving body and a decrease in pressure behind the body is called pressure drag. It is an important factor in the design of aerodynamically efficient shapes for cars and airplanes. Drag caused by the viscosity of the medium as the molecules along the body's surface move through it is called skin drag or skin friction. It is an important factor in the design of efficient surface materials for cars, airplanes, boat hulls, skis, and swimsuits. Compare lift. See Note at aerodynamics.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Drag

Drag\, n. [See 3d Dredge.] A confection; a comfit; a drug. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Drag

Drag\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Dragged; p. pr. & vb. n. Dragging.] [OE. draggen; akin to Sw. dragga to search with a grapnel, fr. dragg grapnel, fr. draga to draw, the same word as E. draw. ? See Draw.]

1. To draw slowly or heavily onward; to pull along the ground by main force; to haul; to trail; -- applied to drawing heavy or resisting bodies or those inapt for drawing, with labor, along the ground or other surface; as, to drag stone or timber; to drag a net in fishing.

Dragged by the cords which through his feet were thrust. --Denham.

The grossness of his nature will have weight to drag thee down. --Tennyson.

A needless Alexandrine ends the song That, like a wounded snake, drags its slow length along. --Pope.

2. To break, as land, by drawing a drag or harrow over it; to harrow; to draw a drag along the bottom of, as a stream or other water; hence, to search, as by means of a drag.

Then while I dragged my brains for such a song. --Tennyson.

3. To draw along, as something burdensome; hence, to pass in pain or with difficulty.

Have dragged a lingering life. -- Dryden.

To drag an anchor (Naut.), to trail it along the bottom when the anchor will not hold the ship.

Syn: See Draw.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Drag

Drag\, v. i. 1. To be drawn along, as a rope or dress, on the ground; to trail; to be moved onward along the ground, or along the bottom of the sea, as an anchor that does not hold.

2. To move onward heavily, laboriously, or slowly; to advance with weary effort; to go on lingeringly.

The day drags through, though storms keep out the sun. --Byron.

Long, open panegyric drags at best. -- Gay.

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

A propeller is said to drag when the sails urge the vessel faster than the revolutions of the screw can propel her. --Russell.

4. To fish with a dragnet.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Drag

Drag\, n. [See Drag, v. t., and cf. Dray a cart, and 1st Dredge.]

1. The act of dragging; anything which is dragged.

2. A net, or an apparatus, to be drawn along the bottom under water, as in fishing, searching for drowned persons, etc.

3. A kind of sledge for conveying heavy bodies; also, a kind of low car or handcart; as, a stone drag.

4. A heavy coach with seats on top; also, a heavy carriage. [Collog.] --Thackeray.

5. A heavy harrow, for breaking up ground.

6. (a) Anything towed in the water to retard a ship's progress, or to keep her head up to the wind; esp., a canvas bag with a hooped mouth, so used. See Drag sail (below). (b) Also, a skid or shoe, for retarding the motion of a carriage wheel. (c) Hence, anything that retards; a clog; an obstacle to progress or enjoyment.

My lectures were only a pleasure to me, and no drag. --J. D. Forbes.

7. Motion affected with slowness and difficulty, as if clogged. "Had a drag in his walk." -- Hazlitt.

8. (Founding) The bottom part of a flask or mold, the upper part being the cope.

9. (Masonry) A steel instrument for completing the dressing of soft stone.

10. (Marine Engin.) 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. See Citation under Drag, v. i., 3.

Drag sail (Naut.), a sail or canvas rigged on a stout frame, to be dragged by a vessel through the water in order to keep her head to the wind or to prevent drifting; -- called also drift sail, drag sheet, drag anchor, sea anchor, floating anchor, etc.

Drag twist (Mining), a spiral hook at the end of a rod for cleaning drilled holes.