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tag-along

English translation: someone who follows you around like a puppy

15:20 Feb 18, 2005
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature / Fiction
English term or phrase: tag-along
'He's a tag-along, isn't he? Well he's decent enough, but you can't tag along with a tag-along.'
'He's a writer, Mam.'
'Yes, a tag-along.'
'But he said he would get a job for me. Said he'd teach, like B.'
'Well, then, get and bite his hand off. You're not getting any younger. You shan't have good looks to go on for ever.'
Alexander Alexandrov
Russian Federation
Local time: 18:45
Selected answer:someone who follows you around like a puppy
Explanation:
This is how I would understand it in the USA. Like a little brother who is not yet independent of his big brother.
Selected response from:

jccantrell
United States
Local time: 08:45
Grading comment
Thank you, jccantrell!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +2someone who follows you around like a puppy
jccantrell
5 +1someone who follows rather than leads
Maria Danielson
5 +1someone who's always around
Johan Venter
5one that persistently and >>>
Maria Chmelarova
4a follower, not a leader
Rania KH
4a follower, could be in more senses than just following phisically
Alexander Demyanov


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
someone who follows you around like a puppy


Explanation:
This is how I would understand it in the USA. Like a little brother who is not yet independent of his big brother.

jccantrell
United States
Local time: 08:45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 44
Grading comment
Thank you, jccantrell!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  marybro
1 min

agree  Rutie Eckdish
2 hrs
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a follower, not a leader


Explanation:
:)

Rania KH
Local time: 10:45
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in ArabicArabic
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
someone who follows rather than leads


Explanation:
Someone who does what other people are doing instead of taking the charge. A person who invites themselves along.

"tag along - definition from wn
tag along
v : go along with, often uninvited; "my younger brother often
tagged along when I went out with my friends"

tag along - definition from moby-thesaurus
21 Moby Thesaurus words for "tag along":
bedog, chase, come after, come behind, dog, follow, go after,
go behind, heel, hound, move behind, pursue, shadow, string along,
tag, tag after, tail, tailgate, trail, trail after,
tread close upon"


    Reference: http://onlinedictionary.datasegment.com/word/tag+along
Maria Danielson
United States
Local time: 11:45
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Johan Venter: I provided my own answer before reading yours. This explanation is roughly the same as mine, hence I have no choice but agree with it. Sorry for being so hasty. I'll do better next time.
40 mins
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
a follower, could be in more senses than just following phisically


Explanation:
Main Entry: tagĀ·along
Pronunciation: 'ta-g&-"lo[ng]
Function: noun
: one that persistently and often annoyingly follows the lead of another

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Note added at 7 mins (2005-02-18 15:28:06 GMT)
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phYsically

Alexander Demyanov
Local time: 11:45
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 38
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45 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +1
someone who's always around


Explanation:
A tag-along is much more than simply someone who follows, rather than leads. It is also someone who is always around, even if you don't want them to be, like he is attached loosely to you like a tag.

Johan Venter
Czech Republic
Local time: 16:45
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M: Yes, you've captured the important nuance that the person is very often UNWANTED!
1 hr
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
one that persistently and >>>


Explanation:
often annoying follows the lead of another ( Webster's dictionary )

Maria Chmelarova
Local time: 11:45
Native speaker of: Slovak
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