- 1 [transitive] (+ adv./prep.) to pull somebody/something along with effort and difficulty I dragged the chair over to the window. They dragged her from her bed. The sack is too heavy to lift—you’ll have to drag it. He quickly dragged a comb through his hair. Synonymspulldrag draw haul tow tugThese words all mean to move something in a particular direction, especially towards or behind you.pull to hold something and move it in a particular direction; to hold or be attached to a vehicle and move it along behind you:Pull the chair nearer the table. They use oxen to pull their carts.drag to pull somebody/something in a particular direction or behind you, usually along the ground, and especially with effort:The sack is too heavy to lift—you’ll have to drag it.draw (formal) to move somebody/something by pulling them/it gently; to pull a vehicle such as a carriage:I drew my chair closer to the fire. a horse-drawn carriagehaul to pull somebody/something to a particular place with a lot of effort:Fishermen were hauling in their nets.drag or haul?You usually drag something behind you along the ground; you usually haul something towards you, often upwards towards you. Dragging something often needs effort, but hauling something always does. tow to pull a car, boat or light plane behind another vehicle, using a rope or chain:Our car was towed away by the police.tug to pull somebody/something hard in a particular direction:She tried to escape but he tugged her back.Patterns to pull/drag/draw/haul/tow/tug somebody/something along/down/towards something to pull/drag/draw/haul/tow somebody/something behind you to pull/drag/draw/haul a cart/sledge to pull/draw a coach/carriage to pull/haul/tow a truck horses pull/draw/haul something dogs pull/drag/haul something move slowly
- 2[transitive, intransitive] to move yourself slowly and with effort drag yourself + adv./prep. I managed to drag myself out of bed. + adv./prep. She always drags behind when we walk anywhere. persuade somebody to go
- 3[transitive] drag somebody/yourself + adv./prep. to persuade somebody to come or go somewhere they do not really want to come or go to I'm sorry to drag you all this way in the heat. The party was so good I couldn't drag myself away. He came in, dragging his three children behind him. of time
- 4[intransitive] (of time or an event) to pass very slowly Time dragged terribly. The meeting really dragged. see also drag on touch ground
- 5[intransitive, transitive] to move, or make something move, partly touching the ground This dress is too long—it drags on the ground when I walk. drag something He was dragging his coat in the mud. search river
- 6[transitive] drag something (for somebody/something) to search the bottom of a river, lake, etc. with nets or hooks They dragged the canal for the murder weapon. computing
- 7[transitive] drag something + adv./prep. to move some text, an icon, etc. across the screen of a computer using the mouse Click on the file and drag it across. Wordfindercommandcommand, connect, desktop, drag, enter, insert, refresh, scroll, select, toggle More Like This Consonant-doubling verbs bob, club, dub, grab, rub, sob, throb kid, nod, pad, plod, prod, shred, skid, thud beg, blog, bug, drag, drug, flag, hug, jog, log, mug, nag, plug bar, confer, infer, occur, prefer, refer, star, stir, transfer acquit, admit, allot, chat, clot, commit, jut, knit, pat, regret, rot, spot, submit (in British English:) appal, cancel, channel, control, counsel, enrol, equal, excel, fuel, fulfil, label, level, marvel, model, pedal, quarrel, signal, travelSee worksheet. See related entries: Using a computer Word OriginMiddle English: from Old English dragan or Old Norse draga ‘to draw’; the noun partly from Middle Low German dragge ‘grapnel, a grappling hook’.Extra examples He dragged himself back home. She dragged her eyes away from his. She managed to drag him clear of the wreckage. Some legal disputes drag on endlessly. The afternoon really dragged. They dragged her into the kitchen. Dogs drag the sledges for hundreds of miles across the snow. He managed to drag himself away from the crowd of reporters. I dragged myself out of bed and got a glass of water. I know you like hanging out in the mall, but I don’t know why you have to drag me with you. I’m sorry to drag you all this way in the heat. It’s time you dragged yourself away from that computer! My parents used to drag me to piano lessons when I was a kid. Police dragged protesters away from the embassy entrance. She dragged herself up the stairs by the banister. The sack is too heavy to lift—you’ll have to drag it. They dragged him from the bed.Idioms
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BrE BrE//dræɡ//; NAmE NAmE//dræɡ//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they drag BrE BrE//dræɡ//; NAmE NAmE//dræɡ//
he / she / it drags BrE BrE//dræɡz//; NAmE NAmE//dræɡz//
past simple dragged BrE BrE//dræɡd//; NAmE NAmE//dræɡd//
past participle dragged BrE BrE//dræɡd//; NAmE NAmE//dræɡd//
-ing form dragging BrE BrE//ˈdræɡɪŋ//; NAmE NAmE//ˈdræɡɪŋ//
Using a computerto be deliberately slow in doing something or in making a decision
(informal) to improve your situation yourself, without help from other people Phrasal Verbsdrag bydrag downdrag intodrag ondrag outdrag out ofdrag up
Check pronunciation: drag
