dragging
- 01 B1 Intermediate
v.pulling something heavy or difficult along the ground.
v.the act of pulling an object along a surface with effort or against resistance.
Simple“I heard the sound of someone dragging a heavy suitcase across the wooden floor.”
In context“The workers spent the afternoon dragging the fallen branches to the edge of the property for disposal.”
UsageOften used with 'along', 'across', or 'behind'.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
v.using a mouse or finger to move something on a screen.
v.moving a graphical object on a display by clicking it and holding the button while moving the cursor.
Simple“Try dragging the file into the new folder to save it.”
In context“By dragging the selected text to the sidebar, you can quickly create a new note without using the copy-paste command.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.when time or an event feels very slow and boring.
v.proceeding at a slow, tedious pace; often used to describe time or events that lack momentum.
Simple“The meeting was dragging on, and everyone was looking at their watches.”
In context“The afternoon was dragging, made worse by the humid heat and the lack of any urgent tasks to complete.”
UsageCommonly used in the phrasal verb 'drag on'.
Synonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
adj.describing something that is very dull or takes too much time.
adj.characterised by a lack of interest or excessive duration; tedious.
Simple“It was a dragging afternoon with nothing to do but wait for the rain to stop.”
In context“The dragging pace of the film's second act caused many audience members to lose interest before the climax.”
Teacher's tipWhile 'dragging' is common as a verb, using it as a direct adjective for 'boring' is less frequent and feels more literary or informal.
- 05 C1 Advanced
n.a type of race where cars compete to see who is fastest over a short, straight distance.
n.a form of motor racing in which specially prepared vehicles compete, usually two at a time, to be the first to cross a set finish line.
Simple“He spent his weekends dragging at the local track with his modified car.”
In context“The illegal dragging on the outskirts of town prompted the police to increase patrols during the late-night hours.”
Synonymsdrag racing
From drag + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.