ˈdrag-net
[Cf. Sw. dragg-not.]
a. A net which is dragged over the bottom of a river or piece of water in order to enclose all the fish, etc.; also a net used to sweep the ground game off a field.
| [c 1000 ælfric Gloss. in Wright 15/13 Tragum, dræᵹ-net, vel dræᵹe. Ibid. 48/27 Verriculum, dræᵹ-net.] a 1541 Wyatt Of meane Estate 89 in Tottell's Misc. (Arb.) 87 Ye set not a dragge net for an hare. 1610 Bp. Hall Apol. Brownists 11 Shall the Fisher cast away a good draught because his drag-net hath weedes? 1622 Malynes Anc. Law-Merch. 246 It is also prouided..that no drag-net be set before March, nor vpon deeper water than foureteene fathome. 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. Wks. V. 351 It has the whole draft of fishes in its drag-net. 1814 Sporting Mag. XLIV. 61 Preventing partridges being taken at night by drag-nets. |
b. transf. and fig.
| 1641 Milton Prel. Episc. Wks. (1847) 22/2 Whatsoever time..hath drawn down from old, in her huge drag-net..those are the fathers. 1654 Fuller Ephemeris Pref. 7 The dragge-net of no diligence can be..so advantagiously cast, as to catch and hold all particulars uttered in a long speech. 1882 J. Taylor Sc. Covenanters (Cassell) 43 This act was popularly termed ‘The Bishops' Drag-net’. 1906 Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 5 Jan. 6/5 The Police Drag-Net.—Quite a grist has been gathered to the police mill for the magistrate's sitting this morning. 1928 Hecht & MacArthur Front Page ii. 73 They're throwing a drag⁓net around the whole North Side. 1958 Oxford Mail 1 Aug. 1/9 Police spread a ‘dragnet’ across the Jezreel Valley in a bid to recapture those who had got away. |