I. ˈstag, -aag, -aig noun
( -s ; see sense 1 )
Etymology: Middle English stagge, from Old English stagga; akin to Old Norse andar steggi drake, Icelandic steggi drake, gander, tomcat, male fox, Swedish stagg, a kind of stiff grass, Old English stingan to sting — more at sting
1. or plural stag
a. : the adult male of the red deer ; specifically : one five years of age or older — compare hind
b. : the male of various other deer of the genus Cervus
c. : the male of various other large deer (as the caribou)
2. chiefly Scotland : a young horse ; especially : a young unbroken stallion
3. : a male animal castrated after the secondary sex characteristics have developed to such a point as to give it the appearance of a mature male
4.
a. : a young male domestic fowl:
(1) : a market fowl on which the spurs are developing and which is less tender than a fryer but still suitable for roasting
(2) : a young gamecock that has not passed through its first full molt
b. Britain : turkey-cock
5. Britain : informer 3
6. Britain : one who subscribes for shares of an announced issue of stock with the intention of selling at a profit as soon as possible
7.
a. : a social gathering of men only
automobile trips and luncheons for the ladies, and banquets and a stag for the menfolks — Daily Plumbers Trade Journal
b. : a person who attends a social gathering (as a dance) unaccompanied by someone of the opposite sex
he joined the other stags watching the dancers
some of them come with their dates … but most of the girls are stags — Accent
II. verb
( stagged ; stagged ; stagging ; stags )
transitive verb
1. Britain : to keep an eye on : spy on
2. : to cut down : shorten ; specifically : to cut off (trousers) at the knees or just above the boot tops
mackinaws and waist overalls, stagged at the boot tops — American Guide Series: Washington
intransitive verb
1. Britain : to turn informer
2. Britain : to speculate in stocks as a stag
3. : to attend a social function (as a dinner or dance) without a companion of the opposite sex : go stag
had planned to stag at the class dance — William Du Bois
III. adjective
1.
a. : restricted to men : for men only
a stag dinner
a stag party
b. : intended or suitable for a gathering of men only
a stag movie
2. : unaccompanied by someone of the opposite sex
three stag women in beautiful ermine coats — Speed Lamkin
IV. adverb
: as a stag
she had a cold, so he went along stag — Victoria Lincoln
many girls now prefer to dance stag at a cotillion — N.Y.Sun