The word "Shag" has a number of meanings. It means a mass or tangle, in particular of hair that is rough and matted. It refers to a coarse nap as seen on some woollen cloth. Shag also refers to tobacco that is coarse and shredded. In this sense the word "shag" is derived from the Middle English word "shagge" taken from the Old English word "sceacga" meaning matted hair.
Shag was also the name of a dance step that originated in the 1930s. Shag is also the name of two distinct species of marine birds of North Africa and Europe called the Phalacrocorax punctatus and the Phalacrocorax aristotelis respectively. Shag also refers to a term for fetching something as hen a dog retrieves a ball after chasing it. In this sense the word is used in baseball as well. Shag is also a slang term used to refer to the act of sexual intercourse.
Shag was also the name of a dance step that originated in the 1930s. Shag is also the name of two distinct species of marine birds of North Africa and Europe called the Phalacrocorax punctatus and the Phalacrocorax aristotelis respectively. Shag also refers to a term for fetching something as hen a dog retrieves a ball after chasing it. In this sense the word is used in baseball as well. Shag is also a slang term used to refer to the act of sexual intercourse.
