lag
/læɡ/ (bre, ipa) · [lˈæɡ] /læɡ/ (ame, ipa) · [lˈæɡ] /ˈlag/ (ame, mw)
lag — verb
- lagpresent simple I / you / we / they
- lagshe / she / it
- laggedpast simple
- lagging-ing form
1. to go or develop more slowly than others, so you end up behind them.
to go or develop more slowly than others, so you end up behind them.
By March, Nia's reading group began to lag behind the faster class.
lag behind + group
Sales lagged after the road closure cut off weekend visitors.
Rohan tried to keep up, but his injured ankle made him lag.
Rural wages still lag far behind prices in the capital.
- trail
often suggests being slightly behind in a race, score, or ranking
- fall behind
the closest everyday phrase for failing to keep up
- slip back
suggests losing ground after being level or ahead
文法句型
lag behind + person/group
lag behind + in + area
用法筆記
Often followed by behind. Used for progress, pay, sales, or performance when one person or thing cannot keep up with others.
2. if software, video, or a game lags, it reacts a little late after the user gives
if software, video, or a game lags, it reacts a little late after the user gives a command.
The stream started to lag whenever Darius turned the camera quickly.
lag when + action
Our old laptop lagged badly during the online science quiz.
lag badly
Yuna missed the turn because the map app lagged underground.
In the boss fight, the game lagged after three players joined.
- run smoothly
operate without delay or jerky response
- respond instantly
emphasizes no noticeable waiting time
文法句型
game/app/stream + lag
lag when + action
用法筆記
Used for digital systems rather than people. Common with game, app, stream, map, or laptop as the subject.
3. to wrap pipes or similar equipment in a protective covering that keeps warmth in
to wrap pipes or similar equipment in a protective covering that keeps warmth in or stops freezing.
The plumber lagged the attic pipes before the first cold night.
lag + pipes
We lagged the water tank so the school kitchen stayed warm.
Before winter, Ada lagged the outdoor pipe with foam sleeves.
Engineers lagged the metal ducts to stop heat leaking upstairs.
文法句型
lag + pipe/tank/duct
lag + with + material
用法筆記
Usually used for pipes, tanks, ducts, or other equipment that needs insulation against cold or heat loss.
4. to lock someone up, or to take them away by arresting them.
to lock someone up, or to take them away by arresting them.
Police lagged the gang leader after the robbery near the station.
lag + person
The sheriff threatened to lag the poachers before sunrise.
Reporters said the officer lagged two smugglers at the harbor.
If the judge believed the witness, they would lag him.
文法句型
lag + suspect/person
be lagged for + crime
用法筆記
Old-fashioned and mostly informal. Common in crime stories rather than everyday modern speech.
5. in golf, to play a long gentle putt so the ball finishes close to the hole.
in golf, to play a long gentle putt so the ball finishes close to the hole.
On the final hole, Mauricio lagged the putt to tap-in range.
lag the putt
Her coach told her to lag the ball across the green.
Christopher lagged a long putt and left himself an easy finish.
To avoid a risky second stroke, Nora lagged toward the cup.
文法句型
lag + the putt
lag + the ball + toward + hole
用法筆記
Used in golf, especially about long putts played for control rather than for holing out.
lag — noun
- lagsingular
- lagsplural
1. a period when one event happens later than another related one.
a period when one event happens later than another related one.
A six-week lag separated the survey and the final report.
a six-week lag
There is often a lag between heavy rain and rising river levels.
lag between + two things
Because of a payment lag, the farmers waited until Friday.
The lag between order and delivery shrank after the warehouse moved.
- immediacy
absence of waiting time
- promptness
quality of happening without delay
文法句型
a lag between + two things
payment/time + lag
用法筆記
Common in formal and everyday contexts such as shipping, payments, growth, and medical results. Often followed by between.
2. slow response in a game or computer after the player clicks, moves, or presses s
slow response in a game or computer after the player clicks, moves, or presses something.
The input lag made the racing game almost impossible to steer.
input lag
During the video call, a half-second lag cut people off.
Players blamed the lag, not their aim, for the missed shot.
A sudden lag froze the screen just as the quiz began.
- smooth response
reaction with no noticeable delay
- real-time action
operation that seems immediate to the user
文法句型
input/network + lag
lag in + game/call
用法筆記
Common in gaming and tech talk. Often modified by input, network, or screen.
3. a prisoner, or someone known for having spent time in prison.
a prisoner, or someone known for having spent time in prison.
The old novels call the escaped prisoner a lag.
call someone a lag
In that jail memoir, every lag feared the winter work camp.
The guard mocked him as a lag from the moment he arrived.
Only the oldest detective in the drama still says lag.
- prisoner
neutral modern term for someone kept in prison
- convict
focuses on someone found guilty in court
- ex-convict
used when the person has already left prison
文法句型
a lag
every lag in + prison
用法筆記
An old-fashioned informal word, especially in British crime writing. Modern everyday English usually says prisoner or ex-convict.