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It seems that it originates in a term used in sailing, or shipping. In ship or sailor terms, a "Fag-end" was a rope that was frayed and useless at the end. Cigarettes have a non-smokable butt (or filter) on one end that is useless, so the term "Fag" got applied to the butts, and ended up being used for the whole of the cigarette. The word "fag" is a British term, used to describe a tobacco cigarette. * The term "fag" is also short for Middle English "Fagge," or to droop. A fag is a student at a British public school who is also required to perform menial tasks for a student in a higher class.
* In British English, it means to drudge or do fatiguing or tedious work.
As previously stated, it means a cigarette and is short for the term "fag end," which means the butt of a cigarette. And it also means the last and worst part, the frayed end of a length of cloth or rope, an inferior or worn-out remnant or a broken thread in cloth, something that hangs loose. See the Related Link for verification.
Cigarettes are only called fags in the United Kingdom. In the United States, they are not called fags . Fags is just a slang term that is used in the UK.
It comes from the word fagot/faggot, which came from the French around 1300 and meant a bundle of sticks. Because bundles of sticks are associated with fire, it became associated with burning sticks, and since cigarettes were very similar to burning sticks, it became associated with them as well.
Incidentally, this is chiefly British slang. In the US, that usage is very uncommon.
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"Fag" is short for "faggōt". A faggōt is (among other items) a smouldering bundle of twigs or tinder that you might use to start a bonfire or such. That pretty well describes a cigarette, too.
It's british slang. As far as I know, there isn't really a reason why something has its slang term.
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What is a cigarette called in England?
Cigarettes, cigs or fags tend to be the usual thing to call them.
What is a pack of fags?
Cigarettes. That's the British term for them.
What is the street name for nicotine?
Depends on where you are from. Cigarettes, fags, squares.
If wifes and girlfriends is wags What is friends and girlfriends?
Fags. which can also mean cigarettes(p) or a bundle of sticks.
How many fags were there before now?
Lots of cigarettes existed in time before this exact moment. It is impossible to calculate exactly how many.
What is the cheapest make of fags?
the cheapest pack of cigarettes sold here in central California is Pokers! 2.00 a pack for the tax hike the will take affect in April 1sth of 2009
How many grams of tobacco are there in 20 cigarettes?
Last week I saw the the fabulous island of Tahiti. While I was there over three weeks I smoked about 18 pipefuls and it felt like I had smoked 6 cigarettes a day. I don't know what that comes to... About 100 cigarettes or so. Therefore 20 cigs is about 3.7 pipefuls... That's what my research tells me.
Is fags a drug?
A slang term for cigarettes. Yes, it is a drug in my opinion since it is addictive. Coming from a former smoker, it took lots of will power to quit!
What rhymes with mag?
Bags, fags (cigarettes), drags, rags, sags, hags, tags, stags, snags, nags, wags, lags, flags, jags.
Does sienna miller smoke?
As of 2014, actress Sienna Miller does indeed smoke. Not only has she been pictured smoking cigarettes by paparazzi, but an Esquire magazine interview with her mentions that the writer of the article and Sienna Miller had smoked "fags" (slang for cigarettes) with each other.
Did the isley brothers record a song called brother brother brother?
no they're not fags
Why do fags kill you?
fags can lead to a range of fatal cancers,especially lung cancer.
