lagging

¹ American  

[lag-ing] / ˈlæg ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of covering a boiler, oil tank, etc., with heat-insulating material.

2. the covering formed.

3. the material used.

4. a number of boards or the like joined together side by side to line an excavation.

5. Masonry. a number of lags, taken as a whole.

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lagging ² American  

[lag-ing] / ˈlæg ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of falling or staying behind.

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adjective

1. lingering; loitering; slow and dragging.

   lagging steps.

lagging British  

/ ˈlæɡɪŋ /

noun

1. insulating material wrapped around pipes, boilers, etc, or laid in a roof loft, to prevent loss of heat

2. the act or process of applying lagging

3. a wooden frame used to support an arch during construction

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Other Word Forms

• laggingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of lagging¹

First recorded in 1850–55; lag ³ + -ing ¹

Origin of lagging¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; lag ¹ + -ing ¹, -ing ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

And if a bull market is continuing to run but your growth stocks are lagging behind, the market may be signaling a shift.

From The Wall Street Journal

It was a rare win for the lagging domestic box office.

From Los Angeles Times

Heavy supply of new muni bonds led to them lagging behind taxable bonds last year, a trend that Malik expects to reverse in a “catch-up trade.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The UK has been lagging behind for various reasons.

From BBC

The stock has risen 13% this year so far through Monday’s close, lagging behind the 18% gain for the S&P 500 index.

From Barron's

Related Words

• underdeveloped