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• neg
  neg

  noun

  a photographic negative.
• neg.
  neg.

  abbreviation

  negative.
• NEG
  NEG

  abbreviation

  negative

neg

¹ American  

[neg] / nɛg /

noun

1. Informal. a photographic negative.

2. Slang. a backhanded compliment, especially one used when flirting.

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verb (used with object)

1. Slang. to imply that (someone or something) is not good enough; to insult with a backhanded compliment or with qualified approval, especially as a ploy to lower the self-esteem of a person or cheapen an object before showing romantic interest or making an offer.

   He negged me for my weight while insisting that curvy ladies can be sexy too.

neg. ² American  

abbreviation

1. negative.

2. negatively.

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NEG ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. negative

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neg. ² British  

abbreviation

1. negative(ly)

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Etymology

Origin of neg

First recorded in 1870–75; shortening of negative ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

neg neg. NEG

Fumbling to figure out what makes him tick, Evans attempts to neg the provocateur as someone who lacks the passion to think differently.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026

After word of this got back to Spears, she went scorched Earth, posting once again to Instagram but, this time, seeming to neg Timberlake's lack of basketball skills.

From Salon ● Feb. 2, 2024

The question sounded like a neg, but it eventually spurred enough introspection to prompt her to leave her stable job at Google and take a chance on a new career path.

From The Verge ● Aug. 10, 2021

Finally, any suggestion of surprise, particularly around age – “you look great for 55” – is in neg territory.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 3, 2020

“In the meantime, call down to the blood bank. I need two units of O neg and keep two units ahead.”

From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman

In the North Highlands, the pret. neg. often takes the common verbal participle do before it; as, cha do robh mi, or cha d'robh mi, I was not.

From Elements of Gaelic Grammar by Alexander Stewart

Initial b of the fut. neg. is aspirated after the participle cha not; as, cha bhi.

From Elements of Gaelic Grammar by Alexander Stewart

The pret. neg. robh appears to be made up of the verbal participle ro, the same with do, and bha, throwing away the last vowel; ro bha, robh.

From Elements of Gaelic Grammar by Alexander Stewart

Cabinets gratis, neg. broken, letter sent asking to re-sit.

From Real Ghost Stories by Estelle W. Stead

The NEG contained a target of 26 percent but that was dropped after the plan failed.

From Reuters ● Nov. 4, 2018

He said the NEG would still require electricity retailers to cap their prices and provide more "reliable" streams of power.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2018

The negative terminal may be found to be painted black, or be stamped "-", "N" or "NEG".

From The Automobile Storage Battery Its Care And Repair by Otto A. Witte

Stamp "POS," "P," or "+" on positive terminal and "NEG," "N," or on negative terminal.

From The Automobile Storage Battery Its Care And Repair by Otto A. Witte

Set of metal lettering stamps, for stamping POS and NEG on battery terminals, repairman's initials, date battery was repaired, and nature of repairs, on inter-cell connectors.

From The Automobile Storage Battery Its Care And Repair by Otto A. Witte

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