nag
nag — verb
1. If you nag someone, you speak to them repeatedly about something you want them t
If you nag someone, you speak to them repeatedly about something you want them to do or about a habit of theirs that bothers you.
Heather nagged her son Marco every morning to pack his school bag.
nag + person + to-infinitive for constant reminding
Stop nagging me about the rent — I will pay it tomorrow, Owen told his roommate.
Apinya's mother nagged her constantly to find a better job.
Ishaan fixed the tap to stop his grandmother from nagging him about it.
- praise
expressing approval rather than criticism
- leave alone
stopping all requests and allowing peace
文法句型
nag + person + to-infinitive
nag + person + about + noun phrase
keep + nagging + person
用法筆記
Often used in the pattern 'nag someone about something' or 'nag someone to do something'. The person receiving the complaints is the direct object — never 'nag to someone'.
常見錯誤
2. If a thought, doubt, or worry nags at you, it keeps troubling your mind and will
If a thought, doubt, or worry nags at you, it keeps troubling your mind and will not go away, even when you try to ignore it.
A strange doubt nagged at Antonia all through the meeting.
[doubt] + nag at + person — internal worry
The question of whether he had locked the door nagged Asher all the way home.
A deep regret nagged at Jin every time he passed the old bookstore.
The feeling that she had missed something important nagged Nkechi long after the presentation ended.
文法句型
[doubt/worry/thought] + nag at + person
[doubt/worry/thought] + nag + person
[doubt] + that-clause + nag at + person
用法筆記
The subject is always a mental state or abstract idea — doubt, worry, regret, question, feeling — never a person. Common in the structure 'something nags at someone'.
常見錯誤
nag — noun
1. A nag is a person who keeps complaining or telling someone what to do, in a way
A nag is a person who keeps complaining or telling someone what to do, in a way that other people find annoying.
Sayaka was such a nag about tiny things that nobody sat near her.
be + such a nag + about + noun phrase
The office nag found another detail to complain about in the weekly report.
Don't be such a nag, Christopher — I will fix the shelf this weekend, Élise said.
The hostel manager was a terrible nag, always checking if guests had locked their doors.
- complainer
more general; refers to anyone who complains, not necessarily to get action
- fusspot
informal, often humorous; suggests excessive attention to minor details
- peacemaker
someone who reduces tension rather than creating it
文法句型
be + such a nag
be + a terrible nag
用法筆記
Used informally, sometimes with affection or mild irritation. Often appears in fixed expressions like 'don't be such a nag' or 'I don't want to be a nag, but...'.
常見錯誤
2. A nag is an old horse that is no longer in good enough condition to pull carts,
A nag is an old horse that is no longer in good enough condition to pull carts, carry riders, or do farm work.
The old farmer let his gentle nag graze in the sunny meadow behind the barn.
collocation: gentle nag / old nag
Rodrigo rode a patient old nag along the dusty trails of his grandfather's ranch.
The merchant's worn-out nag could barely pull the cart, so he retired the animal.
Jack learned to ride on a gentle old nag that belonged to his aunt.
文法句型
old + nag
gentle + nag
用法筆記
Old-fashioned or literary in tone. Almost never used for a healthy working horse — carries a sense of worn-out age or poor condition. The 'horse' sense of 'nag' is etymologically unrelated to the verb and noun senses above.