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Glite Dictionary
🧵 Worn-out tip 🌙 Final part
fag end

fag end

9.9
A frayed end of a piece of cloth or rope
  • noun
  • /fæɡ ɛnd/
  • Archaic
translation icon : extremo desgastado
  • The fag end of the rope was frayed and weak.

Examples

  • She tied the fag end of the rope to prevent further unraveling.

  • She cut off the fag end of the old cord to make it usable again.

  • After years of use, only the fag end of the cord remained attached to the curtain.

  • The old flag hung in tatters, its fag end fluttering in the breeze.

  • I noticed the fag end of the cloth was unraveling.

  • Only the fag end of the rope was left after much use in the garden.

  • The fag end of the fabric was frayed and needed to be repaired.

Synonyms

end
vsfag end
102 7.5

A leftover piece of cloth used for sewing or crafts

is specifically the frayed worn tip of a length rather than a general remnant
tag end
vsfag end
7.3

A small piece left at the very end of cloth or ribbon

is the frayed worn tip of a length of material rather than a scrap

Surface Forms

fag end singular
fag ends plural

Morphology

fag + end

The literal composition ('fag' = cigarette + 'end' = end) transparently yields the sense 'cigarette butt', so a learner who knows both words can infer the basic meaning. However, the common figurative extension to 'the final/least important part' is a metaphorical, dialect-specific extension (British) and not fully predictable without exposure, so it is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Fag end comes from the picture of a frayed, worn end of a rope or cloth, the small bit left when the rest is used. So it means the 'worn end' or loose tail of something.