wag

Noun · Verb
Synonyms: witcardwaggleshake

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

  1. a witty amusing person who makes jokesSynonyms: witcard
  2. causing to move repeatedly from side to sideSynonyms: waggleshake

Verb (1)

  1. move from side to side“The happy dog wagged his tail”Synonyms: waggle
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Wag \Wag\, v. i.

1.To move one way and the other; to be shaken to and fro; to vibrate. [1913 Webster]

The resty sieve wagged ne'er the more.— Dryden.[1913 Webster]

2.To be in action or motion; to move; to get along; to progress; to stir. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

"Thus we may see," quoth he, "how the world wags."— Shak.[1913 Webster]

3.To go; to depart; to pack oft. [R.] [1913 Webster]

I will provoke him to 't, or let him wag.— Shak.[1913 Webster]
Wag \Wag\, n. [From Wag, v.] [1913 Webster]

1.The act of wagging; a shake; as, a wag of the head. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

2.[Perhaps shortened from wag-halter a rogue.] A man full of sport and humor; a ludicrous fellow; a humorist; a wit; a joker. [1913 Webster]

We wink at wags when they offend.— Dryden.[1913 Webster]
A counselor never pleaded without a piece of pack thread in his hand, which he used to twist about a finger all the while he was speaking; the wags used to call it the thread of his discourse.— Addison.[1913 Webster]
Wag \Wag\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Wagged; p. pr. & vb. n. Wagging.] [OE. waggen; probably of Scand. origin; cf. Sw. vagga to rock a cradle, vagga cradle, Icel. vagga, Dan. vugge; akin to AS. wagian to move, wag, wegan to bear, carry, G. & D. bewegen to move, and E. weigh. [root]136. See Weigh.] 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. [1913 Webster]

No discerner durst wag his tongue in censure. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head. --Jer. xviii. 16. [1913 Webster]

Note: Wag expresses specifically the motion of the head and body used in buffoonery, mirth, derision, sport, and mockery. [1913 Webster]

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