3 ms·
The term 'fag end' predates the cigarette by a couple centuries, at least in Europe. In figurative use, I am surprised to see it associated with cigarette butts
by sethrin 12y ago
The term 'fag end' predates the cigarette by a couple centuries, at least in Europe. In figurative use, I am surprised to see it associated with cigarette butts; it's a very unusual figure, and I would have expected anyone using it to be aware of the (original) meaning.
- leoc 12y agoInteresting! I think nearly all contemporary British English speakers associate it with cigarette butts, though. See http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/fag-end http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/fag-end and the Collins entry at http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fag+end http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fag+end .
- DanBC 12y agoI would be greatly surprised if more than 1% of UK respondants had any idea of the use of "fag end" as anything other than cigarettes and the metaphor.
- lmm 12y agoBefore clicking the links I assumed it referred to the end of a faggot (the kind used for kindling).
- sethrin 12y agoSorry, I should have mentioned. For anyone else reading, "fag end" refers to the end of a length of material such as cloth or especially rope. The short end of a rope which is left over from tying a knot is the "fag end". Another similar term is "bitter end", the end of a rope abaft the bitts, that is, the part that remains inboard on a ship. A useful visual reference can be found here: http://books.google.com.pa/books?id=mrDgmObwGZcC&pg=PA387&lpg=PA387&dq=visual+dictionary+bitter+end&source=bl&ots=bb3BM4k-ME&sig=QPmBtRz2EjlhrPTD0yO3rUM_rFs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=beI6VIHCFpPPggSOkIGABA&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=visual%20dictionary%20bitter%20end&f=false http://books.google.com.pa/books?id=mrDgmObwGZcC&pg=PA387&lp...