[f. FAG sb.2 + END.]
1. The last part of a piece of cloth; the part that hangs loose, often of coarser texture than the rest.
1721–1800. in Bailey.
1778. Love Least, 21. Like base Fag-Ends will surely be cut off.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., s.v. Fag.… The fag-end signifies that end of a piece of cloth or linen, where the weaver ends his piece, and works up the worst part of his materials.
1858. in Simmonds, Dict. Trade.
b. Of a rope: An untwisted end.
1775. in Ash.
1808. Whitbread, Sp. in Ho. Commons, 11 Jan. Sooner than have surrendered the fag end of a cotton rope to England.
1840. R. Dana, Bef. Mast., xxii. 66. There was no rust, no dirt, no rigging hanging slack, no fag-ends of ropes and ‘Irish pendants’ aloft.
2. transf. The last part or remnant of anything, after the best has been used; the extreme end, e.g., of a portion of space or time, a collection of persons, a written composition, volume, etc.
1613. R. Tailor, The Hog hath Lost His Pearl, I., in Dodsley (1780), VI. 341. Atlas. Yes, there’s the fag-end of a leg of mutton.
a. 1656. Bp. Hall, Revelation. Unrev., § 1. The fag-end of this last century.
1677. Plot, Oxfordsh., 5. This wind was the fag-end of a Hurricane.
a. 1687. Cotton, Martial, I. ii. (1695), 3.
| Where now a goodly terrace does extend, | |
| The city both with shade and walks befriend, | |
| Was but the court’s fag and expiring end. |
1691. Wood, Ath. Oxon., II. 174. The turning out of the Fag-end of that Parliament called the Rump.
1729. Berkeley, Skel. Serm., vi. Wks. IV. 640. The first-fruits, flower, prime to the devil, the fag-end, when faculty for good and evil is gone, to God.
1747. Hooson, Miner’s Dict., N j. The Fagg ends of a certain Lordship.
1765. Sterne, Tr. Shandy (1802), VIII. xxxv. 199. To be wove into the fag end of the eighth volume.
1844. Dickens, Mart. Chuz., xlii. Sufficiently inspirited to swear a few round oaths, and hum the fag-end of a song.
1853. C. Bede, Verdant Green, iv. The old Kidderminster carpet that had been charred and burnt into holes with the fag-ends of cigars.
1882. Miss Braddon, Mt. Royal, I. viii. 241. Ah! that is the consequence of vegetating at the fag-end of England: all the pungency is taken out of life for you.
