In British English, the word "fag" was used (as a verb and a noun) to refer to a kind of apprenticeship practiced within public schoolss. Younger boys within the school "fagged" for the older boys by cooking breakfasts, cleaning sports kit or other menial tasks. The term fag in this sense derived from the sense "tiring or menial labour," as in "fagged out."
Violence, bullying and sexual abuse were sometimes associated with fagging. As public schools have become more exposed to public scrutiny, fear of litigation has caused the practice of fagging to be banned in most schools.
"fag" is also used as a colloquialism for a cigarette, as in "I'm gasping for a fag", or "where can I get some fags?". It was originally a reference to a cigarette-butt or cigar-butt and comes from the expression "fag-end," meaning the leftover or useless part of any thing.
For the use of the word "fag" as a term of abuse for male homosexuals, see faggot.
