From Middle English nagg, nage, nagge (“horse, small riding horse, pony”), cognate with Dutch negge, neg (“horse”), German Nickel (“small horse”). Perhaps related to English neigh.
Meanings
A small horse; a pony.
An old, useless horse.
We used to lure the nags into the back of our truck with oats and sugar, then we'd drive back to town to this warehouse and inject the nags with small quantities of morphine I'd stolen. 2011, James Ellroy, Clandestine, →ISBN, page 245:
(derogatory, obsolete) A paramour.
Yon ribaudred nag of Egypt – Whom leprosy o'ertake! c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene x], line 11:
gl facatrús (small horse) · cs herka (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · hu gebe (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · et kronu (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · oc cavalon (small horse) · it brenna (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · pt rocinante (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · vo jijevodil (small horse) · lv ponijs (small horse) · de Pony (small horse) · de Gaul (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · sv (gammal) krake (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · fa یابو (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · gl bestello (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · fr carne (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · vo jevodil (small horse) · wa harote (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · bg кранта (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · vo hilujevod (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · ca rossí (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · ca haca (small horse) · es rocín (small horse) · eo ĉevalaĉo (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · nl negge (small horse) · de Ackergaul (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · pt rocim (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · la caballus (small horse) · bg пони (small horse) · da pony (small horse) · es jamelgo (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · eo ĉevaleto (small horse) · gl matalón (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · da krikke (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · vo hijevodil (small horse) · gl arricallo (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · fi poni (small horse) · vo jilujevod (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · la caballus (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · fr rosse (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · fa پونی (small horse) · fa کول (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · ru кля́ча (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · hu póni (small horse) · gl faquitró (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · pl rosynant (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · oc pòni (small horse) · pt pônei (small horse) · sv (gammal) hästkrake (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · el αλογάκι (small horse) · is bikkja (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · is trunta (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · it ronzino (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · de Schindmähre (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · gl barrufeiro (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · es rocinante (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · sv (gammalt) ök (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · lv kleperis (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · sh poni (small horse) · fr rossinante (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · ko 조랑말 (small horse) · oc cavalet (small horse) · hy կարճահասակ ցեղի ձի (small horse) · mk по́ни (small horse) · enm nagge (small horse) · ru по́ни (small horse) · el ψωράλογο (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · vo lujevod (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · oc cavalàs (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · wa haricrûte (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · de Klepper (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · wa rosse (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · fi kaakki (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · fr haridelle (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · fr canasson (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · es penco (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · sh kljuse (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · da øg (old useless horse — see also dobbin) · gl faco (small horse) · gl coxe (small horse)
Probably from a North Germanic source; compare Swedish nagga (“to gnaw, grumble”), Danish nage (“to nag, bother”), Icelandic nagga (“to complain”).
Compare typologically fret, Bulgarian глождя (gloždja), Russian глода́ть (glodátʹ), грызть (gryztʹ), по́едом есть (pójedom jestʹ), е́дкий (jédkij).
Meanings
Someone or something that nags.
'That fellow is a nag.' 'Aye, the worst kind,' agreed Hamish, and then smiled, and at that smile, Miss Gunnery thawed even more. 2011, M.C. Beaton -, Death of a Nag, →ISBN:
But, pchA has to produce more than awareness, always-on alerts/nags, or edu-tainment. 2015 -, Dwight McNeill, Using Person-Centered Health Analytics to Live Longer, →ISBN:
When we see Wolfe struggling with many depictions of woman characters throughout the novel (the earlier ones being nags and white trash), we greatly admire the development of this living tribute to Aline Bernstein, a woman whom he ends up despising in his later life. 2014, Louise Hathaway, Nags, Sluts, and A Deep-Breasted Soulmate from the Shining City, →ISBN:
A repeated complaint or reminder.
I turned it on Eileen and threw in a couple of my normal nags about her driving. 2015, Steve Brookstein, Getting Over the X, →ISBN, page 58:
And finally the biggest thank you of all to my partner Steven Winston for your love, enthusiasm, encouragement, support, humour, nags, and glasses of wine. 2011, Mike Bryant, Peter Mabbutt, Hypnotherapy For Dummies, →ISBN:
A girl who expects her mother to nag her about her untidy bedroom will hear that message, even though the mother may want to talk about something quite different, so a loving invitiation to go shopping that started "When you've finished in your bedroom this morning. . ." might result in the child screaming, storming out and slamming the door because she expected this to be a nag about the state of the room and didn't let you finish with “ . . . shall we go to the shopping centre?”. 2016, Suzie Hayman, John Coleman, Parents and Digital Technology: How to Raise the Connected Generation, →ISBN:
A persistent, bothersome thought or worry.
During my lengthy aerobic strolls (which more or less served as a tool of meditation), that thought about “college” became a persistent nag. 2009, James Swift, How I Survived Three Years at a Two-Year Community College, →ISBN:
There are two ways to get rid of our nags. We can either use Ninja decision-making to turn them quickly into actions, stored in our second brain to be revisited when we have some time. Or we can simply just capture and collect the nag, knowing that our systems will ensure we return to it later. 2014, Graham Allcott, How to be a Productivity Ninja, →ISBN:
All that while there was a little nag going on at the back of his mind, which he strove to disregard. But it insisted on attention, and to get rid of it he put down his palette abruptly and got out his mustard-tin cash-box and counted his money. 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 152:
That feeling turned into a very persistent nag. 2016, Sarah Lowndes, The DIY Movement in Art, Music and Publishing, →ISBN:
la oblātrārtrix (one who nags) · ru ворчу́нья (one who nags) · ru приди́ра (one who nags) · bg мърморко (one who nags) · fi nalkuttaja (one who nags) · de Keppelweib (one who nags) · de Nörgler (one who nags) · de Nervensäge (one who nags) · de Quälgeist (one who nags) · de Meckerer (one who nags) · de Zeterer (one who nags) · he נוּדנִיק (one who nags) · fa نقنقو (one who nags) · de Nörgeltante (one who nags) · ru ворчу́н (one who nags) · da plageånd (one who nags)
Probably from a North Germanic source; compare Swedish nagga (“to gnaw, grumble”), Danish nage (“to nag, bother”), Icelandic nagga (“to complain”).
Compare typologically fret, Bulgarian глождя (gloždja), Russian глода́ть (glodátʹ), грызть (gryztʹ), по́едом есть (pójedom jestʹ), е́дкий (jédkij).
Meanings
(ambitransitive) To repeatedly remind or complain to (someone) in an annoying way, often about insignificant or unnecessary matters.
The room is never cleaned, so her mother nags and nags until she explodes with frustration and threatens to sell her to the lowest bidder. 2006, Jerry Day, How to Raise Kids You Want to Keep, →ISBN:
Anyone would think that I nagged at you, Amanda! (From Amanda! by Robin Klein)
To bother with persistent thoughts or memories.
You are sleeping on your side in the bed in your flat, heavily embroiled in a dream which sucks and nags at you and makes no sense; an old primary school teacher is there and a cat you have to take to a supermarket; you are in a canoe. 2013, Ra Page, L.E. Yates, Ann Winter, Parenthesis: A New Generation in Short Fiction:
The notion that he forgot something nagged him the rest of the day.
Sometimes I write because there is a question that nags at me, sometimes because there is a question that nags at other people. 2010, John Goldingay, Key Questions about Christian Faith: Old Testament Answers, →ISBN:
I guess it happens all the time in crime stories where the detective suddenly remembers a bit of conversation that nags him in some way, then for some inexplicable reason, it's just right there in front of you, like a sign pointing 'here! 2010, John David Wells, Diamonds of Affection and Other Stories, →ISBN, page 100:
To bother or disturb persistently in any way.
a nagging pain in his left knee
When a breeze comes up and nags the surface, it sparkles like a gemstone. 2013, Tina Egnoski, Perishables, →ISBN:
But at night, around the uncertain edge of dreams, and when the wind nags, there are few whom an odd sound will not thrill 1999, Tim Parks, Adultery and Other Diversions, →ISBN:
a nagging north wind
We are well accustomed as we look out upon Nature at close range to see great creatures harrassed^([sic]) by little creatures. The lot of each big one seems to be in the keeping of some little one, which never quits it, nags it, stings it, wears it out, drives it desperate, makes life somewhat a burden to it and death somewhat a relief. 2014, James Lane Allen, The Last Christmas Tree: An Idyl of Immortality, →ISBN, page 8:
worry (persistently bother or annoy) · haunt (bother with thoughts or memories) · sit on (continually remind or complain) · ride (continually remind or complain)
Translations (94)
ca reprendre (complain about insignificant matters) · mi haku (complain about insignificant matters) · gl rosmar (complain about insignificant matters) · es carcomer (bother with memories) · gl zanfonear (bother with memories) · de herumnörgeln (complain about insignificant matters) · de zusetzen (bother with memories) · fi jäkättää (complain about insignificant matters) · fi motkottaa (complain about insignificant matters) · da brokke (complain about insignificant matters) · sdc pirèa (complain about insignificant matters) · ru пили́ть (complain about insignificant matters) · pt azucrinar (complain about insignificant matters) · sh piliti (complain about insignificant matters) · mi hakuhaku (complain about insignificant matters) · bg натяквам (bother with memories) · ru истяза́ть (bother with memories) · de nerven (bother with memories) · nl zaniken (complain about insignificant matters) · tr dırdır etmek (complain about insignificant matters) · gl refonfonear (complain about insignificant matters) · ru придира́ться (complain about insignificant matters) · hu zsémbeskedik (complain about insignificant matters) · cmn 嘮叨 /唠叨 (complain about insignificant matters) · sv tjata (complain about insignificant matters) · gl tafonear (bother with memories) · de meckern (complain about insignificant matters) · de nörgeln (complain about insignificant matters) · de schelten (complain about insignificant matters) · ca renyir (complain about insignificant matters) · ru изводи́ть (complain about insignificant matters) · gl rifar (complain about insignificant matters) · nl zeuren (complain about insignificant matters) · de nagen (bother with memories) · de keifen (complain about insignificant matters) · it assillare (complain about insignificant matters) · da hakke på (complain about insignificant matters) · da mukke (complain about insignificant matters) · gl salupichar (bother with memories) · sh zvocati (complain about insignificant matters) · da murre (complain about insignificant matters) · ru ворча́ть (complain about insignificant matters) · sc travaioni (complain about insignificant matters) · pt atazanar (complain about insignificant matters) · ru грызть (bother with memories) · es reconcomer (bother with memories) · fi vaivata (bother with memories) · da skænde på (complain about insignificant matters) · sv älta (bother with memories) · da nage (bother with memories) · tr dırdır etmek (bother with memories) · de rumhacken (complain about insignificant matters) · mi whakakūnawheke (complain about insignificant matters) · gl fasquiar (bother with memories) · da stikke til (bother with memories) · da vrænge (complain about insignificant matters) · sh gnjaviti (complain about insignificant matters) · gl bufiñar (complain about insignificant matters) · th จู้จี้ (complain about insignificant matters) · el γκρινιάζω (complain about insignificant matters) · es fastidiar (complain about insignificant matters) · de keppeln (complain about insignificant matters) · ca bonegar (complain about insignificant matters) · th จุกจิก (complain about insignificant matters) · de matschkern (complain about insignificant matters) · mk ма́чи (bother with memories) · gl roñar (complain about insignificant matters) · fi nalkuttaa (complain about insignificant matters) · de zetern (complain about insignificant matters) · de in den Ohren liegen (complain about insignificant matters) · de quengeln (complain about insignificant matters) · sc scimìngiu (complain about insignificant matters) · es regañar (complain about insignificant matters) · fa نق زدن (complain about insignificant matters) · bg заяждам се (complain about insignificant matters) · vi càu nhàu (complain about insignificant matters) · fi kangertaa (bother with memories) · ro cicăli (complain about insignificant matters) · de motzen (complain about insignificant matters) · ca marmolar (complain about insignificant matters) · no mase (complain about insignificant matters) · de herumhacken (complain about insignificant matters) · th เซ้าซี้ (complain about insignificant matters) · es remorder (bother with memories) · de maulen (complain about insignificant matters) · pt moer o juízo (complain about insignificant matters) · ca reganyar (complain about insignificant matters) · ru му́чить (bother with memories) · vi cằn nhằn (complain about insignificant matters) · sc strumíngiu (complain about insignificant matters) · vi ỷ eo (complain about insignificant matters) · et näägutama (complain about insignificant matters) · da ømme sig (complain about insignificant matters) · pt importunar (bother with memories)