Made something rough and shaggy in texture, or chased after something (British slang meaning).
From Middle English 'shagge' meaning 'matted' or 'rough,' possibly from Old Norse 'skegg' meaning 'beard.' The verb developed multiple meanings including the action of making rough texture.
The word 'shag' for rough texture is why shag carpeting became popular in the 1960s-70s—and it's also why in British slang the word means something completely different involving romance, which creates amusing confusion for international travelers!
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