Why are cigarettes called fags?
Discussion
fag (cigarette)
In modern British English, "fag" is a colloquialism for a cigarette, as in "I'm gasping for a fag", "Where can I get some fags?", or "Can I bum a fag?" (can I borrow a cigarette?). It was originally a reference to a cigarette-butt or cigar-butt and comes from the expression "fag-end," meaning the leftover or useless part of any thing.
Found on www.answers.com
In modern British English, "fag" is a colloquialism for a cigarette, as in "I'm gasping for a fag", "Where can I get some fags?", or "Can I bum a fag?" (can I borrow a cigarette?). It was originally a reference to a cigarette-butt or cigar-butt and comes from the expression "fag-end," meaning the leftover or useless part of any thing.
Found on www.answers.com
fag (fag-end)
The term fag derives from the word "flag" (as in: "His strength was flagging."). "Flag" appeared in the 16th century and was apparently a variant of the Middle English word flacken. Flacken meant "to flutter", and was influenced by the Old French word flaquir. Flaquir meant "to be flaccid."
The word "fag" came to mean "thing hanging loosely," and was applied to the remnants of a bolt of cloth, the tail end of an originally long spool of rope, etc., It therefore had the derived meaning of any off-cut or unwanted part of any product, such as wood, cloth or meat, known as a "fag-end."
The associations among the various strands of meaning of "fag," such as "to flutter," "to be flaccid," "thing hanging loosely," "the last and worst part of anything" seem to be better connected to the pejorative present-day sense of "fag" and "faggot" than are the dictionary meanings of the word "faggot," which were limited strictly to the sense of "bundle" before the middle of the 20th century.
The term fag derives from the word "flag" (as in: "His strength was flagging."). "Flag" appeared in the 16th century and was apparently a variant of the Middle English word flacken. Flacken meant "to flutter", and was influenced by the Old French word flaquir. Flaquir meant "to be flaccid."
The word "fag" came to mean "thing hanging loosely," and was applied to the remnants of a bolt of cloth, the tail end of an originally long spool of rope, etc., It therefore had the derived meaning of any off-cut or unwanted part of any product, such as wood, cloth or meat, known as a "fag-end."
The associations among the various strands of meaning of "fag," such as "to flutter," "to be flaccid," "thing hanging loosely," "the last and worst part of anything" seem to be better connected to the pejorative present-day sense of "fag" and "faggot" than are the dictionary meanings of the word "faggot," which were limited strictly to the sense of "bundle" before the middle of the 20th century.
Plotloss said:
Just remember not to say: "Can I bum a fag?" when you are in the US.
And certaintly dont ask where the fag machine is which was a mistake I made...
A friend of mine whilst in the US mentioned quite loudly to a group of Americans we were with,
"I'm just going outside for a fag"
The group went silent....
Alex said:
Just remember not to say: "Can I bum a fag?" when you are in the US.
Ah, yes, The old "American use of the word 'Fag'" issues.
"I'm gasping for a fag."
"Fags come in packets of 20, you can buy them fairly cheaply in most corner shops."
"Fags are thin and white and you suck on the end."
"The government is upping the tax on fags."
.... the list goes on.
Oli.
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