1950’s Drag

Drag /dræg/  is a word with many different meanings, some of which we still use today! 

Websters dictionary defines drag as

1. 1:  something used to drag with; especially :  a device for dragging under water to detect or obtain objects

2. 2:  something that is dragged, pulled, or drawn along or over a surface: asa :  harrowb :  a sledge for conveying heavy bodiesc :  conveyance

3. 3a :  the act or an instance of dragging or drawing: as (1) :  a drawing along or over a surface with effort or pressure (2) :  motion effected with slowness or difficulty; also :  the condition of having or seeming to have such motion (3) :  a draw on a pipe, cigarette, or cigar; also :  a draft of liquidb :  a movement, inclination, or retardation caused by or as if by draggingc slang :  influence securing special favor :  pull

4. 4a :  something that retards motion, action, or advancementb (1) :  the retarding force acting on a body (as an airplane) moving through a fluid (as air) parallel and opposite to the direction of motion (2) :  friction between engine parts; also :  retardation due to frictionc :  burden, encumbrance <the drag of population growth on living standards>d :  one that is boring or gets in the way of enjoyment <thinks studying is a drag> <this sickly kid is going to be a social drag — Edmund Morris>

5. 5a :  an object drawn over the ground to leave a scented trailb :  a clog fastened to a trap to prevent the escape of a trapped animal

6. 6:  street, road <the main drag>

7. 7a :  costume, outfit <in Victorian drag>b :  clothing typical of one sex worn by a person of the opposite sex —often used in the phrase in drag

Started as an old english word meaning to pull. “Stop dragging the grocery bags”

Since morphed into drag as in “This is such a drag,” as a negative term in the 1950s. today we can still say “My shift at work dragged on today.”

Drag Racing as in racing vehicles.

Dressing in drag as in dressing as the opposite sex. Which originally began as men acting as women in plays wearing long dresses that would drag along the ground, and turned into a complete movement of people today as a form to express themselves which is one way that we use to word today.