Also 8 tagg. [Origin obscure.] A children’s game in which one player pursues the others until he touches one of them, who in turn becomes pursuer; = TIG.
1738. Gentl. Mag., VIII. 80/1. In Queen Mary’s Reign, Tag was all the Play; where the Lad saves himself by touching of cold Iron.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), I. v. 67. After they were cloyed with hide and seek, they all played tags, till they were well warmed.
1860. M. C. Harris, Louie’s Last Term, xi. 179. Oh, there’s Eva Leonard beckoning to me to come and play tag.
1903. Smart Set, IX. 78. The merry hornet played a game Of tag about my head.
