WAG

v. to move something from side to side quickly, like a dog's tail or a finger.

v. to move an appendage or object rhythmically from side to side; often used of a dog's tail or a finger moved in admonishment.

“The dog began to wag its tail as soon as it saw its owner pick up the leash.”

“The teacher wagged her finger at the students to signal that their whispering had not gone unnoticed during the exam.”

v. to stay away from school without permission.

v. to play truant or be absent from school without authorization. This sense is primarily used in British, Australian, and New Zealand English.

“They decided to wag school and spend the sunny afternoon at the beach instead.”

“In his youth, he frequently wagged school to explore the local woods, a habit that eventually led to a stern meeting with the headmaster.”

British English · Informal · Dialect

n. someone who is funny and likes to make jokes.

n. a person who is habitually jocular or witty. This usage is somewhat dated but still appears in literary or formal contexts.

“The office wag kept everyone laughing with his clever comments during the long meeting.”

“Known as the local wag, he was never short of a sharp observation or a humorous anecdote to entertain the tavern regulars.”

Literary · Formal

n. a wife or girlfriend of a famous sports player.

n. an acronym for 'Wives and Girlfriends', typically referring to the partners of high-profile professional athletes, especially footballers.

“The newspapers were full of photos of the WAGs sitting in the stands during the World Cup.”

“The term WAG became a staple of British tabloid culture during the 2006 World Cup, focusing heavily on the fashion and lifestyles of the players' partners.”

British English · Informal

n. Stands for Wild-Ass Guess. You use this for a very rough estimate when you do not have all the facts.

n. Abbreviation for Wild-Ass Guess. Used in business or technical contexts to describe a rough estimate based on intuition rather than hard data.

“I don't have the exact numbers yet, but my WAG is that the project will cost fifty thousand dollars.”

“Without the final laboratory results, the lead engineer could only offer a WAG regarding the structural integrity of the bridge.”

American English · Slang · Informal