"lag off" means: A dual-meaning slang phrase. In dated British usage it meant to arrest or transport someone to prison. In more modern and widely used sense.... This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.
Definitions
#1·Apr 28, 2026
A dual-meaning slang phrase. In dated British usage it meant to arrest or transport someone to prison. In more modern and widely used sense it means to slack off or be lazy. The shirking sense is the one most likely to be understood today, while the arresting sense belongs to older criminal cant.
He spent most of the afternoon lagging off instead of finishing the report.
Origin: From lag (British slang for a convict or to arrest) in the arresting sense; the shirking sense may be an independent development. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora (model-assisted, hedged).
For parents
"lag off" means: A dual-meaning slang phrase. In dated British usage it meant to arrest or transport someone to prison. In more modern and widely used sense.... This is informal slang, common in casual speech, texting and social media, but not appropriate for school work, applications or professional settings. There is no real cause for concern in itself; it is everyday peer vocabulary. If your child uses it, a light comment about audience and register is usually enough — no need to escalate. Context, more than the word, tells you whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
"lag off" means: A dual-meaning slang phrase. In dated British usage it meant to arrest or transport someone to prison. In more modern and widely used sense.... Register: informal slang, fine in casual conversation, texting and social media but not in academic essays, business writing or formal speech. Note the regional or dialect label (dated) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word
Cluster: criminal
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#2·Apr 27, 2026
(slang) To shirk; to be lazy.
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#3·Apr 27, 2026
(slang, dated) To arrest; to take to prison.
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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🗺️About Regional & Other slang
Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
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Other words near "lag off" (L)
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