lag
verb
[ laɡ ]
• fail to keep up with another or others in movement or development.
• "they waited for Tim who was lagging behind"
Similar:
fall behind,
straggle,
fall back,
trail (behind),
linger,
dally,
dawdle,
hang back,
delay,
move slowly,
loiter,
drag one's feet,
take one's time,
not keep pace,
idle,
dither,
saunter,
bring up the rear,
dilly-dally,
shilly-shally,
tarry,
• another term for string (sense 6 of the verb).
lag
noun
• a period of time between one event and another.
• "a time lag between infection and symptoms"
• a retardation in an electric current or movement.
Origin:
early 16th century (as a noun in the sense ‘hindmost person in a game, race, etc.’, also ‘dregs’): related to the dialect adjective lag (perhaps from a fanciful distortion of last1, or of Scandinavian origin: compare with Norwegian dialect lagga ‘go slowly’).
lag
verb
• enclose or cover (a boiler, pipes, etc.) with material that provides heat insulation.
• "all pipes and tanks in the attic should be lagged"
Origin:
late 19th century: from earlier lag ‘piece of insulating cover’.
lag
noun
• a person who has been frequently convicted and sent to prison.
• "both old lags were sentenced to ten years' imprisonment"
lag
verb
• arrest or send to prison.
• "they were nearly lagged by the constables"
Origin:
late 16th century (as a verb in the sense ‘carry off, steal’): of unknown origin. Current senses date from the 19th century.
