wag

[ wag ]
/ wæg /

verb (used with object), wagged, wag·ging.

verb (used without object), wagged, wag·ging.

noun

the act of wagging: a friendly wag of the tail.
a person given to droll, roguish, or mischievous humor; wit.

Origin of wag

1175–1225; Middle English waggen < Old Norse vaga to sway, or vagga cradle

OTHER WORDS FROM wag

wag·ger, noun un·wagged, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for wag

British Dictionary definitions for wag (1 of 4)

wag 1
/ (wæɡ) /

verb wags, wagging or wagged

to move or cause to move rapidly and repeatedly from side to side or up and down
to move (the tongue) or (of the tongue) to be moved rapidly in talking, esp in idle gossip
to move (the finger) or (of the finger) to be moved from side to side, in or as in admonition
slang to play truant (esp in the phrase wag it)

noun

the act or an instance of wagging

Word Origin for wag

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

British Dictionary definitions for wag (2 of 4)

wag 2
/ (wæɡ) /

noun

a humorous or jocular person; wit

Derived forms of wag

waggery, noun waggish, adjective waggishly, adverb waggishness, noun

Word Origin for wag

C16: of uncertain origin

British Dictionary definitions for wag (3 of 4)

Wag
/ (wæɡ) /

noun

informal the wife or girlfriend of a famous sportsman

Word Origin for Wag

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

British Dictionary definitions for wag (4 of 4)

WAG

abbreviation for

(West Africa) Gambia (international car registration)

Idioms and Phrases with wag

wag

see tail wagging the dog; tongues wag.