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”), vugge (“to rock a cradle”), Dutch wagen (“to move”), early modern German waggen (dialectal German wacken) to waver, totter. Compare waggle, verb
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Ambitransitive To swing from side to side, as an animal's tail, or someone's head to express disagreement or disbelief.
No discerner durst wag his tongue in censure.1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
Every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Bible Jeremiah:18–16:
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Carrados wagged his head in good-humoured resignation.1914, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados:
"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."1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, “chapter xxii”, in Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC:
They had "wagged it" from school, as they termed it, which..meant truancy in all its forms.1901, William Sylvester Walker, Blood, i. 13:
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[…] she wagged English and Science just to go in his car […]2005, Arctic Monkeys, “Bigger Boys and Stolen Sweethearts”, in I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor:
"Thus we may see," quoth he, "how the world wags."c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]:
4
To move continually, especially in gossip; said of the tongue.
She's a real gossip: her tongue is always wagging.
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”), vugge (“to rock a cradle”), Dutch wagen (“to move”), early modern German waggen (dialectal German wacken) to waver, totter. Compare waggle, verb
1
An oscillating movement.
The wag of my dog's tail expresses happiness.
2
A witty person.
Was not my Lord The veryer Wag o'th' two?c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
But being a bit of a wag, and relishing a good joke amazingly, he concluded to have a little fun, and at the same time learn his friend a lesson concerning his negligent custom.1855 July 1, anonymous author, The Judge's Big Shirt, Yankee-notions, →ISSN:
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“A nice, juicy steak,” he is said to have called for, “French fries, apple pie and a cup of coffee.” It is probable that he really said “a coff of cuppee,” however, as he was a wag of the first water and loved a joke as well as the next king.1922, Robert C. Benchley, chapter XXII, in Love Conquers All, Henry Holt & Company, page 111:
By Wednesday it had already won art-world notoriety, and on Saturday it achieved a public visibility that any artist would envy, after a self-promoting wag tore the banana off the wall and gobbled it up.2019 December 8, Jason Farago, “A (Grudging) Defense of the $120,000 Banana”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
Many people can't work from home - as one wag observed: "Well, I would, but the wife doesn't like me laying tarmac in the front room!"2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 70:
Etymology Back-formation from WAGs (“wives and girlfriends”), mid-2000s.
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Ireland, Informal A wife or girlfriend of a sports star or other celebrity, originally and especially of an association football player.
The World Cup WAGs are a good example of this. The younger girls, nicknamed the ‘hen-night crowd’ and led by Colleen McLoughlin, dance on tables and drink until the early hours while No. 1 WAG Victoria Beckham remains aloof, dining sedately with Ashley Cole’s fiancee, Cheryl Tweedy.2006 July 2, Lucy Rock, “Bitchiness: It's not just a girl thing”, in The Observer, page 20:
In Wimbledon, the tennis WAGs and - just as excitingly - HABs (Husbands and Boyfriends) have been appearing courtside, enthusiastically cheering on their beloved other halves with a degree of style.2006 July 4, Emma Cowing, The Scotsman:
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They looked her up online and soon began following Ms. Riddle on social media, where she shares her life as a tennis WAG — an acronym for “wives and girlfriends,” popularized in Britain in the mid-2000s to describe, disparagingly, a group of preening, partying women attached to soccer players.2023 August 30, Jessica Testa, “The Most Famous Woman in Men’s Tennis”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
WAGs have taken on a second life in the American sports world, linked to basketball, football and, more recently, Formula 1 and tennis.2025 July 2, Yola Mzizi, “With All Eyes on Them, a ‘WAG’ Style Emerges”, in The New York Times, →ISSN: