wag´ger

wag´ger
wag1 «wag», verb, wagged, wag|ging, noun.
–v.t.
1. to cause to wag: »

The dog wagged its tail. Her highborne turban'd head she wags and rolls her darkling eye (Walt Whitman).

2. to move (the tongue) in talking, as in gossip or idle chatter.
–v.i.
1. to move from side to side or up and down: »

an indignantly wagging finger. The dog's tail wagged back and forth.

2. to move busily in talking: »

a scandal that made tongues wag throughout the village.

3. to sway as one moves or walks; waddle or totter.
4. Especially British Informal. to go away; depart.
–n.
a wagging motion: »

a wag of the tail. He said “no” with a wag of his head.

╂[Middle English waggen < root of Old English wagian move backwards and forwards]
–wag´ger, noun.
wag2 «wag», noun, verb, wagged, wag|ging.
–n.
a person who is fond of making jokes or of clowning; jocular fellow; wit; joker. SYNONYM(S): jester.
–v.i.
Especially British Slang. to play truant: »

to wag from school.

╂[probably reduction of obsolete waghalter rogue, gallows bird < wag1 + halter1]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • wag|ger|y — «WAG uhr ee», noun, plural ger|ies. 1. the act or habit of joking, playing pranks, or clowning; drollery; jocularity. 2. a joke: »... they indulged in a hundred sports, jocularities, waggeries (Thackeray). ╂[< wa …   Useful english dictionary

  • wig´wag´ger — wig|wag «WIHG WAG», verb, wagged, wag|ging, noun. –v.t., v.i. 1. to move to and fro; wag. 2. to signal by waving or holding a single flag or light in various positions according to a code. The three motions used in wigwagging represent a dot, a… …   Useful english dictionary

  • wag — scal·a·wag; scal·a·wag·gery; tal·ly·wag; wag·el; wag·gel; wag·ger; wag·gery; wag·gish; wag·gly; wag·gon; wag·gy; wag·ner·esque; wag·ne·ri·an·ism; wag·ner·ism; wag·ner; wag·on·age; wag·on·ette; wag·on·ful; wag·on·man; wag; wag·gle; wag·ne·ri·an;… …   English syllables

  • ger — ag·ger; an·ger·ly; ar·mi·ger; as·trol·o·ger; au·ger; aus·trin·ger; bag·ger; bal·in·ger; bee·ger·ite; ber·ger; boot·leg·ger; bött·ger; bou·lan·ger·ite; brag·ger; braun·schwei·ger; brev·i·ger; brög·ger·ite; bud·ger·ee; bud·ger·i·gar; bud·ger·ow;… …   English syllables

  • wag — [[t]wæg[/t]] v. wagged, wag•ging, n. 1) to move from side to side, esp. rapidly and repeatedly: a dog wagging its tail[/ex] 2) to move (the tongue), as in idle chatter 3) to shake (a finger) at someone, as in reproach 4) to be moved from side to… …   From formal English to slang

  • wig|wag — «WIHG WAG», verb, wagged, wag|ging, noun. –v.t., v.i. 1. to move to and fro; wag. 2. to signal by waving or holding a single flag or light in various positions according to a code. The three motions used in wigwagging represent a dot, a dash, and …   Useful english dictionary

  • wagger — wag·ger …   English syllables

  • waggery — wag•ger•y [[t]ˈwæg ə ri[/t]] n. pl. ger•ies 1) the roguish wit of a wag 2) a waggish act; jest or joke • Etymology: 1585–95 …   From formal English to slang

  • wigwag — wig•wag [[t]ˈwɪgˌwæg[/t]] v. wagged, wag•ging, n. 1) to move to and fro 2) naut. Naut. to signal by waving a flag or lantern according to a code 3) naut. Naut. the act or process of sending messages by the movements of a flag or lantern waved… …   From formal English to slang

  • Waggeries — Waggery Wag ger*y ( g[ e]r*[y^]), n.; pl. {Waggeries}. [From {Wag}.] The manner or action of a wag; mischievous merriment; sportive trick or gayety; good humored sarcasm; pleasantry; jocularity; as, the waggery of a schoolboy. Locke. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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