wag

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See also: WAG and wäg

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English waggen, probably from Old English wagian (“to wag, wave, shake”) with reinforcement from Old Norse vaga (“to wag, waddle”); both from Proto-Germanic *wagōną (“to wag”). Related to English way.

The verb may be regarded as an iterative or emphatic form of waw (verb), which is often nearly synonymous; it was used, e.g., of a loose tooth. Parallel formations from the same root are the Old Norse vagga feminine, cradle (Swedish vagga, Danish vugge), Swedish vagga (“to rock a cradle”), Dutch wagen (“to move”), early modern German waggen (dialectal German wacken) to waver, totter. Compare waggle, verb

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

wag (third-person singular simple present wags, present participle wagging, simple past and past participle wagged)

  1. To swing from side to side, such as of an animal's tail, or someone's head, to express disagreement or disbelief.
    • Shakespeare
      No discerner durst wag his tongue in censure.
    • Bible, Jer. xviii. 16
      Every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
  2. (Britain, Australia, slang) To play truant from school.
    • 1848, Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son, xxii
      "My misfortunes all began in wagging, Sir; but what could I do, exceptin' wag?" "Excepting what?" said Mr. Carker. "Wag, Sir. Wagging from school." "Do you mean pretending to go there, and not going?" said Mr. Carker. "Yes, Sir, that's wagging, Sir."
    • 1901, William Sylvester Walker, In the Blood, i. 13
      They had "wagged it" from school, as they termed it, which..meant truancy in all its forms.
  3. (obsolete) To be in action or motion; to move; progress.
    • 1623, William Shakespeare, As You Like It Act II
      "Thus we may see," quoth he, "how the world wags."
  4. (obsolete) To go; to depart.

Coordinate terms[edit]

  • (swing from side to side): nod, no

Derived terms[edit]

  • (to not go to school): play the wag; hop the wag; wag it
  • to finger-wag

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

Noun[edit]

wag (plural wags)

  1. An oscillating movement.
    The wag of my dog's tail expresses happiness.
  2. A witty person.

Translations[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Afrikaans[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Dutch wacht, from Middle Dutch wachte, from Old Dutch wahta (“watch, sentry, guard”), from Proto-Germanic *wahtwō (“watch, vigil”).

Noun[edit]

wag (plural wagte)

  1. guard
Derived terms[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

From Dutch wachten, from Middle Dutch wachten (“to watch, guard, keep watch, wait”), from Old Dutch *wahton, derived from wahta.

Verb[edit]

wag (present wag, present participle wagtende, past participle gewag)

  1. to wait

German[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

wag

  1. Imperative singular of wagen.
  2. (colloquial) First-person singular present of wagen.

Middle English[edit]

Noun[edit]

wag

  1. Alternative form of wage
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