Here is what Dicitionary.com has to say about the verb fag:
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source
fag1 /fƦg/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[fag] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation verb, fagged, fagĀ·ging, noun
āverb (used with object) 1. to tire or weary by labor; exhaust (often fol. by out): The long climb fagged us out.
2. British. to require (a younger public-school pupil) to do menial chores.
3. Nautical. to fray or unlay the end of (a rope).
āverb (used without object) 4. Chiefly British. to work until wearied; work hard: to fag away at French.
5. British Informal. to do menial chores for an older public-school pupil.
ānoun 6. Slang. a cigarette.
7. a fag end, as of cloth.
8. a rough or defective spot in a woven fabric; blemish; flaw.
9. Chiefly British. drudgery; toil.
10. British Informal. a younger pupil in a British public school required to perform certain menial tasks for, and submit to the hazing of, an older pupil.
11. a drudge.
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[Origin: 1425ā75; late ME fagge broken thread in cloth, loose end (of obscure orig.); sense development appar.: drooping end > to droop, tire > to make weary > drudgery, drudge (cf. relationship of flag1 to flag3); (def. 6) a shortening of fag end (a butt, hence a cigarette)]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Ā© Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source fag 1 (fÄg) Pronunciation Key
n.
A student at a British public school who is required to perform menial tasks for a student in a higher class.
A drudge.
Chiefly British Fatiguing or tedious work; drudgery.
v. fagged, fagĀ·ging, fags
v. intr.
To work to exhaustion; toil.
To function as the servant of another student in a British public school.
v. tr.
To exhaust; weary: Four hours on the tennis court fagged me out.
[From fag, to droop (obsolete), perhaps from Middle English fagge; see fag end.]
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WordNet - Cite This Source fagged
adjective
drained of energy or effectiveness; extremely tired; completely exhausted; "the day's shopping left her exhausted"; "he went to bed dog-tired"; "was fagged and sweaty"; "the trembling of his played out limbs"; "felt completely washed-out"; "only worn-out horses and cattle"; "you look worn out" [syn: exhausted]
WordNetĀ® 3.0, Ā© 2006 by Princeton University.
I hope this puts an end to the idea that this was a gay slur. To be honest, I did not know the complete definition of the word, except that it was British slang for cigarette, until now. I am glad I looked up its definition, because now I have added a new word to my vocabulary. I guess this dog is not too old to learn new tricks.
MTD, Sr.