drag

If you pull something along the ground with effort, you move it this way.

• Drag the bag over here.
• They dragged the fallen branch off the road.
• Her long skirt was dragging along the ground.

How to use it: drag something across/along something (We dragged the box across the floor.)

Similar words: pull, haul

Common phrases: drag something along, drag something across, drag a chair

If you move or act this way, you do it slowly, often because you do not want to.

• Please stop dragging your feet.
• They dragged their heels over signing the agreement.
• Why is the company dragging its feet on this decision?

How to use it: drag one's feet over something (The council is dragging its feet over the repairs.)

Similar words: delay, stall

Opposites: hurry

Common phrases: drag your feet, drag your heels

If you take someone somewhere this way, they go even though they do not want to.

• Do not drag me along.
• He dragged his brother to the dentist.
• She always drags us around the shops.

How to use it: drag someone to something (My sister dragged me to a party.)

Similar words: haul

Common phrases: drag someone along, drag someone home, drag someone away

Move something on a screen by holding a mouse button or keeping your finger on it.

• Drag the icon here.
• I dragged the file to the desktop.
• You can drag and drop pictures into your message.

How to use it: drag something into/to something (Drag the photo into the folder.)

Similar words: move

Common phrases: drag a file, drag and drop, drag something into

If you move yourself somewhere this way, it takes great effort because you are tired or ill.

• I dragged myself upstairs.
• She dragged herself to work despite her headache.
• After the race, we could barely drag ourselves home.

How to use it: drag oneself out of something (I dragged myself out of bed at six.)

Common phrases: drag yourself home, drag yourself out, drag yourself upstairs

If something affects you this way, it makes you feel unhappy or less hopeful.

• Do not let this drag you down.
• All the bad news is dragging him down.
• Her worries about money dragged her down for months.

How to use it: drag someone down (Constant criticism dragged her down.)

Similar words: depress, discourage

Opposites: cheer

Common phrases: drag someone down, drag you down

Something boring or unpleasant that you do not enjoy doing or experiencing.

• Homework is a drag tonight.
• Waiting for the bus was a real drag.
• It’s such a drag having to work every weekend.

Similar words: bore, nuisance, chore

Common phrases: a real drag, such a drag, a total drag

An act of breathing smoke into your mouth or lungs from a cigarette or similar object.

• He took a long drag.
• She exhaled slowly after each drag on the cigarette.
• He took one last drag before putting it out.

How to use it: drag on something (He took a drag on his cigarette.); drag from something (She took a final drag from her cigarette.)

Similar words: puff

Common phrases: take a drag, a long drag, one last drag