v. & n.
v.intr. (lagged, lagging) 1 (often foll. by behind) fall behind; not keep pace. 2 US Billiards make the preliminary strokes that decide which player shall begin.
n. 1 a delay. 2 Physics a retardation in a current or movement. b the amount of this. lag of tide the interval by which a tide falls behind mean time at the 1st and 3rd quarters of the moon (cf. PRIMING(2)). lagger n.
[ orig. = hindmost person, hang back: perh. f. a fanciful distortion of LAST(1) in a children's game (fog, seg, lag, = 1st, 2nd, last, in dial.) ]