Wag | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Wāg, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. WAGGED; p. pr. & vb. n. WAGGING.] [A-S. wegan, weegan, wagian, to carry, move, wag, O. Sax. wegian, Goth. wigan, ga-vigan, O. H. Ger. wegan, wegian, M. H. Ger. wegen, N. H. Ger. & D. bewegen, Dan. bevæge, Sw. beveka, vagga.] To move one way and the other with quick turns; to shake to and fro; to move vibratingly; to cause to vibrate, as a part of the body; as, to wag the head.

Every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head. Jer. xviii. 16.

Wag expresses particularly the motion of the head and body used in buffoonery, mirth, derision, sport, and mockery. It is applied also to birds and beasts; as, to wag the tail.

Wāg, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. 1. To move one way and the other; to be shaken to and fro; to vibrate. “Tremble and start at wagging of a straw.” Shak.

The resty sieve wagged ne’er the more. Dryden.

Sense 2. To be in action or motion; to move; to progress; to stir. [Colloq. and humorous.]

See, quoth he, how the world wags. Shak.

Not so much as the feather of a quill in point did wag against him. Fuller.

Sense 3. To go; to depart; to pack off. [Rare.]

I will provoke him to’t, or let him wag. Shak.

Wāg, n.

noun

n. [From the verb.] A man full of sport and humor; a ludicrous fellow; a humorist; a wit.

We wink at wags when they offend. Dryden.

The counselor never pleaded without a piece of packthread in his hand, which he used to twist about his finger all the while he was speaking; the wags used to call it the thread of his discourse. Addison.