wag

[wag]

verb (used with object)

wagged, wagging 

1. to move from side to side, forward and backward, or up and down, especially rapidly and repeatedly.

   a dog wagging its tail.

2. to move (the tongue), as in idle or indiscreet chatter.

3. to shake (a finger) at someone, as in reproach.

4. to move or nod (the head).

verb (used without object)

wagged, wagging 

1. to be moved from side to side or one way and the other, especially rapidly and repeatedly, as the head or the tail.

2. to move constantly, especially in idle or indiscreet chatter.

   Her behavior caused local tongues to wag.

3. to get along; travel; proceed.

   Let the world wag how it will.

4. to totter or sway.

5. British Slang.,  to play truant; play hooky.

noun

1. the act of wagging.

   a friendly wag of the tail.

2. a person given to droll, roguish, or mischievous humor; wit.

wag

¹

/ wæɡ /

verb

1. to move or cause to move rapidly and repeatedly from side to side or up and down

2. to move (the tongue) or (of the tongue) to be moved rapidly in talking, esp in idle gossip

3. to move (the finger) or (of the finger) to be moved from side to side, in or as in admonition

4. slang,  to play truant (esp in the phrase wag it )

noun

1. the act or an instance of wagging

WAG

²

abbreviation

1. (West Africa) Gambia (international car registration)

Wag

³

/ wæɡ /

noun

1. informal,  the wife or girlfriend of a famous sportsman

wag

⁴

/ wæɡ /

noun

1. a humorous or jocular person; wit

Other Word Forms

• wagger noun
• unwagged adjective
• waggishness noun
• waggishly adverb
• waggish adjective
• waggery noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of wag¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English waggen, from Old Norse vaga “to sway,” or from vagga “cradle”

Word History and Origins

Origin of wag¹

C13: from Old English wagian to shake; compare Old Norse vagga cradle

Origin of wag²

C21: a back formation from an acronym for w ( ives ) a ( nd ) g ( irlfriends )

Origin of wag³

C16: of uncertain origin

Idioms and Phrases

see tail wagging the dog; tongues wag.

Example Sentences

"I think it's been a good thing because it's got tongues wagging," he says.

From BBC

Then, issue a press guidance that he will be making an announcement on Tuesday and watch the tongues wag.

From Salon

His efforts seemed to have put his side on course to win, but the Brave tailed wagged to pull off a remarkable victory.

From BBC

The vast number of attendees caused bottlenecks at entry points, prompting one wag to crack, “What is this, the Second Coming?”

From Los Angeles Times

As the fabled fight song heats up and the legendary gesture wags anew, let’s get one thing straight about what was once the Los Angeles sports landscape’s shining monument.

From Los Angeles Times