From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishwagwag1 /wæɡ/ ●○○ verb (wagged, wagging) 1 [intransitive, transitive]HBASHAKE if a dog wags its tail, or if its tail wags, the dog moves its tail many times from one side to the other2 SHAKE[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)→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
wag• Beards wagged, and noodles dangled over them.• When I said something to him he would look, wag, and put his snout back to the window.• She wagged dutifully but I could sense she was somewhat overwhelmed - and that was only the staff!• Every time they got near him, he backed off, ecstatic with excitement, tail wagging furiously.• "You shouldn't have done that!'' Mum said, wagging her finger at me.• The old man wobbled and stumbled backwards, wagging his head as if he were trying to shake something out of it.• Toto only wagged his tail; for, strange to say, he could not speak.• Tail wagging his thanks, he took the handle of the basket in his mouth and padded happily along beside Angela.• A dog wags its tail in order to show friendliness and pleasure.• They took a peek, and then did everything but lay down and wag their tails.wagging ... finger• In recent years, most notably on the album New York, Reed has swapped the hypodermic needle for the wagging finger.• Walking sticks and umbrellas menace me, wagging fingers harass my sleep.wagwag2 noun 1 TALK TO somebody[countable] old-fashioned someone who says or does something clever and amusing Some wag had drawn a face on the wall.2 [countable usually singular]SHAKE a wagging movementExamples from the Corpus
wag• As one wag put it, as it was the opening of the toilets, perhaps they should have invited Lou Macari.• All drawn by the wag Willie Rushton, they are each priced at £75.• Washington wags suggest the Clintons may add a sound-proofed music room where Bill can relax with his saxophone.WAGWAG /wæɡ/ noun [countable] British English informal (wives and girlfriends) the wife or girlfriend of a famous sports player Are WAGs good role models for girls?Origin wag1 (1200-1300) Old English wagian “to shake” wag2 1. (1500-1600) Perhaps from waghalter “person likely to be hanged” ((16-17 centuries)), from wag + halter “noose”2. (1500-1600) → WAG1 