I. ˈhag, -aa(ə)g, -aig noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English hagge, hegge, probably from a shortened form of Old English hægtesse harpy, witch; akin to Middle Dutch haghetisse witch, Old High German hagzissa, hagazussa harpy, witch; all from a prehistoric West Germanic compound whose components are akin respectively to Old English haga hedge and to German dialect (Westphalia) dūs devil; akin to Norwegian tysja elf, crippled woman, Gaulish dusius demon, incubus, Cornish dus, diz devil, Old English dūst dust — more at hedge , dust
1. archaic
a. : a female demon : fury , harpy
b. : an evil or frightening spirit : elf , bogey , hobgoblin
blue meager hag , or stubborn unlaid ghost — John Milton
c. : nightmare
2. : a woman who has compacted with the devil : witch
you secret, black and midnight hags — Shakespeare
3.
a. : an ugly or evil-looking old woman
b. : a woman of haggard or slatternly appearance
c. obsolete : an old man
4. : hagfish
5.
[by shortening]
: hagdon
II. ˈ(h)ag transitive verb
( hagged ; hagged ; hagging ; hags )
1. dialect Britain : harass , harry
2. dialect Britain : to urge on : goad
3. dialect Britain : to tire out : fatigue
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, probably from Old Norse hagi enclosed pasture; akin to Old English haga hedge
dialect England : an enclosed wooded area : woods
IV. transitive verb
( hagged ; hagged ; hagging ; hags )
Etymology: Middle English haggen, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse höggva to chop — more at hew
dialect Britain : hack , chop , hew
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse högg stroke (as of an ax or sword), blow, ravine, höggva to chop
1. dialect Britain : notch , hack
2. dialect Britain
a. : a section of timber marked off for felling
b. : felled timber or brushwood
3. dialect Britain : quagmire , marsh , bog
4. dialect Britain : a firm spot in a bog
5. dialect Britain
a. : the projection of peat where cutting has stopped
b. : the overhanging edge of a stream