drag

I UK [dræɡ] / US verb
Word forms "drag":
present tense I/you/we/they drag he/she/it drags present participle dragging past tense dragged past participle dragged
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1) [transitive] to pull something or someone along with difficulty, for example because they are heavy

drag something down/along/through something:

She dragged her suitcase down the path.

drag something/someone to/into/onto something:

He jumped into the river and dragged her to safety.

a) to pull part of your body along the ground because you are injured

The bird walked slowly, dragging one wing along.

b) to pull something somewhere strongly or quickly

I scarcely had time to drag a comb through my hair.

2) [transitive] to pull someone strongly or violently when they do not want to go with you

drag someone along/to/into something:

Xavier grabbed his arm and dragged him over to the window.

3) [transitive] to make someone leave or go to a place when they do not want to

drag someone out of/away from/off something:

I'm sorry to call so early – I hope I didn't drag you out of bed.

You drag me away from my meeting just to tell me this!

drag yourself away/up/down etc:

If you can manage to drag yourself away from the TV you can help.

4) [intransitive] if something drags on the ground, it touches the ground when someone or something is moving along, for example because it is too long or too heavy

drag along/in/on:

I heard a chain dragging along the ground.

5) [intransitive] if time drags, it seems to pass very slowly, usually because you are bored

The first hour of the film really dragged.

6) [transitive] computing to move something across a computer screen using the mouse

Drag the file into a folder.

7) [transitive] to try to find something in an area of water by pulling a net along the bottom of it

Police are dragging the river near where he was last seen.

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drag your feet/heels — to do something very slowly because you do not really want to do it

drag someone/something into the 21st century/the modern world — to make a person or organization do things in a more modern way

drag someone/someone's name through the mud — to say unpleasant things, or to tell unpleasant secrets, about someone in public

- drag someone kicking and screaming

- drag someone through the courts

Phrasal verbs:

- drag by

- drag down

- drag in

- drag into

- drag on

- drag out

- drag out of

- drag up

See:

cat

II UK [dræɡ] / US noun
Word forms "drag":
singular drag plural drags
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1) [singular] informal something or someone that is boring or causes small annoying problems

Work is a real drag at the moment.

I'm sorry to be a drag, but could you check this again?

It's such a drag having to get two buses to school.

2) [singular] something that makes something else develop or progress more slowly

drag on:

High interest rates are a drag on the housing market.

3) [uncountable] women's clothes worn by a man or men's clothes worn by a woman, usually as part of an entertainment

a drag artiste/act/show

in drag:

They went out in drag to raise money for charity.

4) [countable] an act of breathing in smoke from a cigarette

He took a quick drag on his cigarette then spoke.

5) [uncountable] physics the force that slows something down when it moves through air or liquid

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See:

main drag