nag 1  (n ăg)
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v. nagged, nag·ging, nags v.tr.1. To annoy by constant scolding, complaining, or urging. 2. To torment persistently, as with anxiety or pain. v.intr.1. To scold, complain, or find fault constantly: nagging at the children. 2. To be a constant source of anxiety or annoyance: The half-remembered quotation nagged at my mind.
[Probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse gnaga, to bite, gnaw.]
nagger n. nagging·ly adv. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
nag 2  (n ăg)
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n.1. A horse, especially: a. An old or worn-out horse. b. Slang A racehorse. 2. Archaic A small saddle horse or pony.
[Middle English nagge, possibly of Low German origin.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices
Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:
Indo-European Roots
Semitic Roots
The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.
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