Nag
/næɡ/noun
To annoy or irritate someone with persistent criticism or complaints.
Did you know?The verb nag is historically linked to an older word for a small horse, and that same root also survives in the old phrase nagging tooth for a stubborn, painful ache.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
hnæg
“a small horse; pony”
Middle English
ME
nagge
“a small riding horse”
16th Century
English
nag
“to worry or harass persistently”
Modern English
English
nag
“to annoy repeatedly with complaints or reminders”
Explore more surprising origins