I. ˈtag noun
Etymology: Middle English tagge; akin to Middle Low German tagge, tacke twig, spike
Date: 14th century
1. : a loose hanging piece of cloth : tatter
2. : a metal or plastic binding on an end of a shoelace
3. : a piece of hanging or attached material ; specifically : a loop, knot, or tassel on a garment
4.
a. : a brief quotation used for rhetorical emphasis or sententious effect
b. : a recurrent or characteristic verbal expression
c. : tagline 1
5.
a. : a cardboard, plastic, or metal marker used for identification or classification
license tag s
b. : a descriptive or identifying epithet
c. : something used for identification or location : flag
d. : label 3d
e. : price tag
f. : an element of code in a computer document used especially to control format and layout or to establish a hyperlink
6. : a detached fragmentary piece : bit
7. : a graffito in the form of an identifying name or symbol
II. verb
( tagged ; tag·ging )
Date: 15th century
transitive verb
1. : to provide or mark with or as if with a tag: as
a. : to supply with an identifying marker or price
tagged every item in the store
was tagged at $4.95
b. : to provide with a name or epithet : label , brand
tagged him a has-been
c. : to put a ticket on (a motor vehicle) for a traffic violation
d. : to deface with a graffito usually in the form of the defacer's nickname
2. : to attach as an addition : append
3. : to follow closely and persistently
4. : to hold to account ; especially : to charge with violating the law
was tagged for…assault — Burt Woolis
5. : label 2
intransitive verb
: to keep close
tagging at their heels — Corey Ford
III. noun
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1738
1. : a game in which the player who is it chases others and tries to touch one of them who then becomes it
2. : an act or instance of tagging a runner in baseball
IV. transitive verb
( tagged ; tag·ging )
Date: 1878
1.
a. : to touch in or as if in a game of tag
b. : to put out (a runner) in baseball by a touch with the ball or the gloved hand containing the ball
2. : to hit solidly
3. : to choose usually for a special purpose : select
4. : to make a hit or run off (a pitcher) in baseball
the batter tagged him for a home run