wag

Meanings

Verb

• To swing from side to side, such as of an animal's tail, or someone's head, to express disagreement or disbelief.
• To play truant from school.
• To be in action or motion; to move; progress.
• To go; to depart.

Noun

• An oscillating movement.
• A witty person.

Origin

• From Middle English waggen, probably from Old English wagian with reinforcement from Old Norse vaga; both from Proto-Germanic *wagōną. Related to English way.
• The verb may be regarded as an iterative or emphatic form of waw, 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, Dutch wagen, early modern German waggen (dialectal German wacken) to waver, totter. Compare waggle, verb