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. &unr_; 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dragged by the cords which through his feet were thrust. Denham. [ 1913 Webster ]

The grossness of his nature will have weight to drag thee down. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

A needless Alexandrine ends the song
That, like a wounded snake, drags its slow length along. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then while I dragged my brains for such a song. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To draw along, as something burdensome; hence, to pass in pain or with difficulty. [ 1913 Webster ]

Have dragged a lingering life. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

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

Syn. -- See Draw. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To move onward heavily, laboriously, or slowly; to advance with weary effort; to go on lingeringly. [ 1913 Webster ]

The day drags through, though storms keep out the sun. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

Long, open panegyric drags at best. Gay. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To serve as a clog or hindrance; to hold back. [ 1913 Webster ]

A propeller is said to drag when the sails urge the vessel faster than the revolutions of the screw can propel her. Russell. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To fish with a dragnet. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Drag, v. t., and cf. Dray a cart, and 1st Dredge. ] 1. The act of dragging; anything which is dragged. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A net, or an apparatus, to be drawn along the bottom under water, as in fishing, searching for drowned persons, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A kind of sledge for conveying heavy bodies; also, a kind of low car or handcart; as, a stone drag. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A heavy coach with seats on top; also, a heavy carriage. [ Collog. ] Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. A heavy harrow, for breaking up ground. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

My lectures were only a pleasure to me, and no drag. J. D. Forbes. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Motion affected with slowness and difficulty, as if clogged. “Had a drag in his walk.” Hazlitt. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Founding) The bottom part of a flask or mold, the upper part being the cope. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Masonry) A steel instrument for completing the dressing of soft stone. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Dracanth. ] A mucilage obtained from, or containing, gum tragacanth. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Drawbar (b). Called also draglink, and drawlink. [ U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A coupling pin. See under Coupling. [ U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. sugar-coated medication.
Syn. -- dragées. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. silver-coated candy bead for decorating cakes. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

3. sugar-coated nut or fruit piece. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖n. pl. [ F. See 3d Dredge. ] (Pharmacy) Sugar-coated medicines. [ 1913 Webster ]