stag — meaning, definition (noun, verb)

adv

Etymology: From Middle English stagge, steg, from Old English stagga, stacga (“a stag”) and possibly Old Norse steggi, steggr (“a male animal”), both from Proto-Germanic *staggijô, *staggijaz (“male, male deer, porcupine”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *stegʰ-, *stengʰ- (“to sting; rod, blade; sharp, stiff”). Doublet of steg (“gander”). Cognate with Icelandic steggi, steggur (“tomcat, male fox”). Related to staggard, staggon.

Of a man, attending a formal social function without a date.
“My brother went stag to prom because he couldn't find a date.”

noun

Etymology: From Middle English stagge, steg, from Old English stagga, stacga (“a stag”) and possibly Old Norse steggi, steggr (“a male animal”), both from Proto-Germanic *staggijô, *staggijaz (“male, male deer, porcupine”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *stegʰ-, *stengʰ- (“to sting; rod, blade; sharp, stiff”). Doublet of steg (“gander”). Cognate with Icelandic steggi, steggur (“tomcat, male fox”). Related to staggard, staggon.

An adult male deer, especially a red deer and especially one in high adulthood versus a young adult.
“The city recently carried out a deer census, determining there are 313 stags (males), 798 does (females) and 214 fawns (babies) in Nara Park.”
A young horse (colt or filly).
A male turkey: a turkeycock.
A romping girl; a tomboy.
An improperly or late castrated bull or ram – also called a bull seg (see note under ox).
An outside irregular dealer in stocks, who is not a member of the exchange.
One who applies for the allotment of shares in new projects, with a view to sell immediately at a premium, and not to hold the stock.
An unmarried man; a bachelor; a man not accompanying a woman at a social event.
“a stag dance; a stag party; a stag bar”
A social event for men held in honor of a groom on the eve of his wedding, attended by male friends of the groom; sometimes a fundraiser.
“The stag will be held in the hotel's ballroom.”
An informer.
“We had two disturbers of the harmony of the ship; I mean two stags or informers, one named Robert Wilson, the other John Hewit, from the north of Ireland.”
Guard duty.
“Between shifts on stag or manning the radio, we grabbed a few hours sleep.”
“Three days were spent on standby or patrols and a fourth day on guard, with at least eight hours on stag.”
A stag beetle (family Lucanidae).
“Members of the genus Pasimachus […] can be confused with stag beetles […] but stags have elbowed antennae.”
The Eurasian wren, Troglodytes troglodytes.

verb

Etymology: From Middle English stagge, steg, from Old English stagga, stacga (“a stag”) and possibly Old Norse steggi, steggr (“a male animal”), both from Proto-Germanic *staggijô, *staggijaz (“male, male deer, porcupine”), probably from Proto-Indo-European *stegʰ-, *stengʰ- (“to sting; rod, blade; sharp, stiff”). Doublet of steg (“gander”). Cognate with Icelandic steggi, steggur (“tomcat, male fox”). Related to staggard, staggon.

To act as a "stag", an irregular dealer in stocks.
To watch; to dog, or keep track of.

noun

verb

Wiktionary

adv

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