neg

plural negs

1. abbreviationclippingartsClipping of negative.
2. abbreviationclippingrhetoricClipping of negative.

   Antonyms: aff

3. lifestyleAn expression or implication that one has a negative value judgement of someone in order to make them desire one's approval, especially when trying to pick up a date.

   A neg is not an insult but a negative social value judgment that is telegraphed.

   2007 February 6, Erik von Markovik, The Mystery Method: How to Get Beautiful Women Into Bed, St. artin's Press, →ISBN, →OL, page 94

   3 more examples

   The purpose of a neg is to lower a woman's self esteem while actively displaying a lack of interest in her—by telling her she has lipstick on her teeth, for example, or offering her a piece of gum after she speaks.

   2005, Neil Strauss, The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists, Text Publishing Company, →ISBN, →OL, pages 20–21

   As we sped down Lake Michigan Drive, I was still feeling a little star-struck and decided that on account of her uber-hot looks, I'd need to start launching negs at her like there was no tomorrow.

   2011, Benton Miller with Travis Wolfe, The Journal: Man's Quest for the Perfect Match, Moon Planet Publishing, page 104

   Negs include asking whether her nails are real, or saying that you saw someone else wearing her skirt.

   2012, Meg Barker, Rewriting the Rules: An Integrative Guide to Love, Sex and Relationships, Routledge, →ISBN, →OL, pages 77–78

4. quiz bowlA penalty for giving an incorrect answer before a toss-up question has been fully read.

1. not comparableLGBTQ slangHIV negative.

   Antonyms: poz

present singular third person negs · participle present negging · participle past negged · past negged

1. UKslangTo annoy or irritate deliberately.
2. transitivelifestyleTo express or imply a negative value judgement of someone to make them desire one's approval, especially when trying to pick up a date.

   She's an 11. This is going to take some hardcore negging.

   2005, Neil Strauss, quoting Erik von Markovik, The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists, Text Publishing Company, →ISBN, →OL, page 151

   3 more examples

   I mean, the thing is, overall you want the chick to feel good about herself around you and because of you. It's true that good negging really helps that, but bad negging—negging where she's already insecure—can kill it.

   2001 January 18, traction_free, “Negging”, in alt.seduction.fast (Usenet), message-ID <9477av$dpq$1@nnrp1.deja.com>

   Women, on the other hand, are wired to believe that men are always ready to reach home base and never turn down a booty opportunity. So when he negs you, it seems unnatural, and you may worry that something’s wrong with your relationship.

   2011 December 16, Jessica Knoll, “The Surprising Reasons He Turns You Down For Sex”, in Cosmopolitan, archived from the original on 27 Aug 2013

   Most of us have a slew of good reasons for fearing people. When I was younger, many of the people who took an interest in me were women who wanted to help “teach” me how to be better at womanhood. Sometimes classmates and coworkers would cozy up to me because they wanted my help with their classwork or writing. I started assuming that if someone took an interest in me, it was because they wanted to fix me for their own amusement, or because they thought I was useful. I figured ever compliment I received was me being “negged”—a tactic where people highlight your difference or offer a backhanded compliment in order to make you feel insecure.

   2022, Devon Price, chapter 7, in Michele Eniclerico, editor, Unmasking Autism, New York: Harmony Books, →ISBN, page 204

3. InternettransitiveTo leave negative feedback about (someone) in a reputation tracking system.

   I negged the seller who didn't send me the widget I paid for.

   2 more examples

   It is important to leave feedback to warn others in serious situations, but it is also smart to consider the long-term consequences of racking up lots of negatives because you ‘negged’ someone over a small oversight or a misunderstanding over a three-dollar item.

   2003 June 2, Jim Griffith, The Official eBay Bible, New York: Gotham Books, →ISBN, →OL, page 71

   He left negative feedback (a.k.a. “negging”) and vowed vengeance but the seller just laughed as she negged him back.

   2006 March 10, Shauna Wright, Don't Get Burned on eBay: How to Avoid Scams and Escape Bad Deals, O'Reilly Media, →ISBN, →OL, page 13

1. AustralianabbreviationinitialismgovernmentInitialism of National Energy Guarantee.

1. AustraliangovernmentAlternative letter-case form of NEG.

   Guardian Australia understands the Liberal states have caucused, and they want the newly elected Morrison government to reboot the Neg, or something very like it.

   2019 June 21, Katharine Murphy, “Australia's energy future: the real power is not where you’d think”, in The Guardian, →ISSN