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NAG
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
Irregular inflected forms: nagged , nagging
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
An old or over-worked horse
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("nag" is a kind of...):
Equus caballus; horse (solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Someone (especially a woman) who annoys people by constantly finding fault
Synonyms:
common scold; nag; nagger; scold; scolder
Classified under:
Hypernyms ("nag" is a kind of...):
disagreeable person; unpleasant person (a person who is not pleasant or agreeable)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "nag"):
harridan (a scolding (even vicious) old woman)
Derivation:
nag (bother persistently with trivial complaints)
II. (verb)
Verb forms
Present simple: I / you / we / they nag ... he / she / it nags
Past simple: nagged
Past participle: nagged
-ing form: nagging
Sense 1
Meaning:
Remind or urge constantly
Example:
she nagged to take a vacation
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Hypernyms (to "nag" is one way to...):
remind (put in the mind of someone)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Sentence example:
They nag him to write the letter
Sense 2
Meaning:
Bother persistently with trivial complaints
Example:
She nags her husband all day long
Synonyms:
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Hypernyms (to "nag" is one way to...):
complain; kick; kvetch; plain; quetch; sound off (express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody
Derivation:
nag; nagger (someone (especially a woman) who annoys people by constantly finding fault)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Worry persistently
Example:
nagging concerns and doubts
Classified under:
Hypernyms (to "nag" is one way to...):
vex; worry (disturb the peace of mind of; afflict with mental agitation or distress)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s somebody
Context examples:
When the horseman came up, he proved to be a student, a merry fellow, who was journeying along on his nag, and singing as he went.
(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)
The nag was grazing at some distance, not suspecting any harm.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
He extracted great happiness from squelching her, and she squelched easily these days, though it had been different in the first years of their married life, before the brood of children and his incessant nagging had sapped her energy.
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
Being one day abroad with my protector the sorrel nag, and the weather exceeding hot, I entreated him to let me bathe in a river that was near.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
In this employment, a sorrel nag, one of the under-servants, was very ready to assist me.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
I had worked two chairs with my knife, the sorrel nag helping me in the grosser and more laborious part.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
I took out my pocket glass, and could then clearly distinguish it above five leagues off, as I computed; but it appeared to the sorrel nag to be only a blue cloud: for as he had no conception of any country beside his own, so he could not be as expert in distinguishing remote objects at sea, as we who so much converse in that element.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
I tried my canoe in a large pond, near my master’s house, and then corrected in it what was amiss; stopping all the chinks with Yahoos’ tallow, till I found it staunch, and able to bear me and my freight; and, when it was as complete as I could possibly make it, I had it drawn on a carriage very gently by Yahoos to the sea-side, under the conduct of the sorrel nag and another servant.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
My master and his friends continued on the shore till I was almost out of sight; and I often heard the sorrel nag (who always loved me) crying out, Hnuy illa nyha, majah Yahoo; Take care of thyself, gentle Yahoo.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
My master, in a few words, made me a very gracious reply; allowed me the space of two months to finish my boat; and ordered the sorrel nag, my fellow-servant (for so, at this distance, I may presume to call him), to follow my instruction; because I told my master, that his help would be sufficient, and I knew he had a tenderness for me.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
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