Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1200-1300
Language: Old English
Origin: wagian 'to shake'

wag

1 verb
     
Related topics: Animals
wag1 past tense and past participle wagged, present participle wagging
1 [intransitive and transitive]HBA if a dog wags its tail, or if its tail wags, the dog moves its tail many times from one side to the other
2 [transitive] to move your finger or head from side to side, especially to show disapproval:
'You naughty girl!' Mom said, wagging her finger at me.

➔ it's (a case of) the tail wagging the dog

at tail1 (11)

; ➔ set tongues wagging

at tongue1 (14)
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
Dictionary pictures of the day
Do you know what each of these is called?
What is the word for picture 1? What is the word for picture 2? What is the word for picture 3? What is the word for picture 4?
Click on any of the pictures above to find out what it is called.

Explore our topic dictionary

Browse the dictionary