wig
[wig]
- an artificial covering of hair for all or most of the head, of either synthetic or natural hair, worn to be stylish or more attractive.
- a similar head covering, worn in one's official capacity, as part of a costume, disguise, etc.
- a toupee or hairpiece.
- British Informal. a wigging.
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- to furnish with a wig.
- British Informal. to reprimand or reprove severely; scold.
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- wig out, Slang.
- to be intoxicated with narcotic drugs.
- to make or become wildly excited or enthusiastic: She wigs out over every rock star that comes along.
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- flip one's wig, Slang. lid(def 8).
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Origin of wig
First recorded in 1665–75; short for periwig
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for wig
Contemporary Examples
Lena, Emilia, and I are laughing because we sorted the wig thing out nice and early.
Natalie Dormer Talks ‘Hunger Games,’ Feminism, and Why ‘Game of Thrones’ Needs More DickMarlow Stern
November 21, 2014
When the music gets going, the woman in the Maude costume rocks so hard her wig comes loose.
They also designed a wig and jumpsuit specifically for the test.
‘Get On Up’ Star Chadwick Boseman on Becoming James Brown—With A Little Help From Mick JaggerMarlow Stern
August 4, 2014
So Jefferson, going “Life, Liberty, and… and…” pulled “Pursuit of Happiness” out of his wig.
The comedy was on-brand for Dunham, but it was hard not to notice that she was, basically, playing Hannah Horvath in a wig.
Historical Examples
His red slave's wig is thus made a feature in the characterization.
The Dramatic Values in PlautusWilton Wallace Blancke
Furniture builder, salon decorator, wig maker, and constructor.
Who Was Who: 5000 B. C. to DateAnonymous
It is so called from a fancied resemblance to a wig on a barber's block.
The Mushroom, Edible and OtherwiseM. E. Hard
A little later her wig fell off, and for an instant her head was bald.
The Eternal CityHall Caine
The Deemster's wig had been taken off and tossed on to the dressing-table.
The ManxmanHall Caine
wig
- an artificial head of hair, either human or synthetic, worn to disguise baldness, as part of a theatrical or ceremonial dress, as a disguise, or for adornment
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- obsolete to furnish with a wig
- British slang to berate severely
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See also wig out
Word Origin
C17: shortened from periwig
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for wig
n.
1670s, shortened form of periwig. Meaning "person who wears a wig (professionally)" is from 1828. The verb meaning "to behave hysterically" (usually with out) is attested from 1955, from notion in to flip one's wig. Cf. dash my wig!, a former mild imprecation (1797), also wigs on the green (1856), Irish colloquial for "a fight or rumble" (because wigs are likely to get detached from owners in such an event).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Idioms and Phrases with wig
wig
In addition to the idiom beginning with wig
- wig out
also see:
- flip one's lid (wig)
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The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.