stag

plural stags · alternative dialectal steg · alternative Scotland staig · alternative obsolete stagg · alternative obsolete stagge

1. countableAn adult male deer, especially a red deer and especially one in high adulthood versus a young adult.

   The city recently carried out a deer census, determining there are 313 stags (males), 798 does (females) and 214 fawns (babies) in Nara Park.

   2024 July 23, Lilit Marcus, “Japan may be sick of mass tourism. But the deer in this ancient UNESCO-listed city love it”, in CNN, archived from the original on 29 Aug 2024

   Synonyms: buck, hart

2. ScotlandcountableA young horse (colt or filly).
3. UKcountableuncountableA male turkey: a turkey-cock.
4. broadlycountableobsoleteA romping girl; a tomboy.
5. countableAn improperly or late castrated bull or ram – also called a bull seg (see note under ox).
6. countablebusinessAn outside irregular dealer in stocks, who is not a member of the exchange.
7. countablebusinessOne who applies for the allotment of shares in new projects, with a view to sell immediately at a premium, and not to hold the stock.
8. attributivecountableusuallyAn unmarried man; a bachelor; a man not accompanying a woman at a social event.

   a stag dance; a stag party; a stag bar

9. countableA social event for men held in honor of a groom on the eve of his wedding, attended by male friends of the groom; sometimes a fundraiser.

   The stag will be held in the hotel's ballroom.

   Synonyms: bachelor party, stag do, stag party, stag lunch

10. colloquialcountableuncountableA man who allows his wife to have sex with other men.

    The stag gets a thrill from watching his vixen have sex with another man.

    2018 June 1, Holly O'Mahony, Lollie Barr, “‘Stag’ men love watching other guys have sex with their wives… but it’s not cuckolding”, in The Sun, archived from the original on 04 Jun 2018

11. countableslangAn informer.

    We had two disturbers of the harmony of the ship; I mean two stags or informers, one named Robert Wilson, the other John Hewit, from the north of Ireland.

    1838, [Joseph Holt], edited by T. Crofton Croker, Memoirs of Joseph Holt, General of the Irish Rebels, in 1798, volume II, London: Henry Colburn, page 52

12. UKslanguncountablegovernmentGuard duty.

    Between shifts on stag or manning the radio, we grabbed a few hours sleep.

    2000, Richard Tomlinson, The big breach: from top secret to maximum security, page 31

    1 more example

    Three days were spent on standby or patrols and a fourth day on guard, with at least eight hours on stag.

    2012, Max Benitz, Six Months Without Sundays: The Scots Guards in Afghanistan

13. countableA stag beetle (family Lucanidae).

    Members of the genus Pasimachus […] can be confused with stag beetles […] but stags have elbowed antennae.

    2007, Eric R. Eaton, Kenn Kaufman, Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America, page 132

14. countableThe Eurasian wren, Troglodytes troglodytes.

present singular third person stags · participle present stagging · participle past stagged · past stagged · alternative dialectal steg · alternative Scotland staig · alternative obsolete stagg · alternative obsolete stagge

1. UKintransitiveTo act as a "stag", an irregular dealer in stocks.
2. transitiveTo watch; to dog, or keep track of.

   Synonyms: shadow

alternative dialectal steg · alternative Scotland staig · alternative obsolete stagg · alternative obsolete stagge

1. not comparableOf a man, attending a formal social function without a date.

   My brother went stag to prom because he couldn't find a date.