▪ I. wagging, vbl. n.
(ˈwægɪŋ)
[-ing1.]
1. a. The action of the verb wag in its various senses.
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ix. 26 And þe wint and þe watur and þe waggyng of þe Bot Makeþ þe Mon Mony tyme to stomble and to falle. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 513/2 Waggynge, or wauerynge, vacillacio. 1519 W. Horman Vulg. 100 Byrdys vse the waggynge of theyr rumpe, to gyde theyr flyght: as doth the sterrne of a shyp to gyde the saylynge. 1530–77 H. Rhodes Bk. Nurture 331 in Babees Bk., Vse not much wagging with thy head. 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr. (1867) 129 The meanyng herof, differth not twoo pins, Betweene waggyng of mens beardes and womens chins. 1601 Holland Pliny xvii. xii. I. 514 As for the white Poplar or Aspen tree..the leaves keepe such a wagging and trembling, and never hang still. 1612 Two Noble K. ii. ii. 15 The wagging of a wanton leg. 1655 [V. Gookin] Gt. Case Transplantation in Irel. 25 Can it be imagin'd that a whole Nation will drive like Geese at the wagging of a hat upon a stick? 1848 Dickens Dombey xlviii, Diogenes..had expressed that conflict of feeling by alternate waggings of his tail, and displays of his teeth. 1855 Thackeray Newcomes lxvi, A buzz, a hum,..a meeting of bonnets and wagging of feathers and rustling of silks ensue. 1903 Times 9 Mar. 4/5 Did not he..stop the wagging of censorious tongues? |
† b. Proverbial phr. Obs.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus ii. 1745 In titeryng and pursuyte and delayes The folk deuyne at waggynge of a stre. c 1520 Skelton Magnyf. 1016 Somtyme I wepe for a gew gaw; Somtyme I laughe at waggynge of a straw. 1525 Ld. Berners Froiss. II. lviii. 80 They murmured & were redy for waggyng of a rysshe to make debate and stryfe. 1558 Abp. Sandys Serm. (1585) 50 As fearfull Hares they flee at the wagging of euerie leafe. 1653 J. Taylor (Water P.) Cert. Trav. of Uncert. Journ. Wks. 1872 III. 8 They quarrel not for wagging of a straw. 1681 W. Robertson Phraseol. Gen. 595/1 He fears the wagging of every straw. |
2. Special Comb. wagging dance = waggle dance s.v. waggle n. 2. Cf. wag-tail dance s.v. wagtail n. 6.
| 1950 [see round a. 5 a]. 1967 Science 24 Nov. 1072/3 Successful forager bees..inform their hive mates of the location of the feeding place by wagging dances. |
▪ II. wagging, ppl. a.
(ˈwægɪŋ)
[f. wag v. + -ing2.]
That wags (in the senses of the verb).
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvii. cxxxvii. (Bodl. MS.), Poudre þereof..fastneþ wagginge teþe þat beþ in poynte to falle. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 3660 Fro þe wagande wynde owte of þe weste rysses, Brethly bessomes with byrre in berynes sailles. 1541 Bk. Properties Herbs C iv b, Yf a man haue wagginge tethe and he eate of this herbe, they shall fasten agayne. 1565 Cooper Thesaurus, Pætus,..he that hath wagginge and stirryng eyes. 1591 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iii. iii. Law 1336 So that a wagging leaf,..Yea, the least crack shall make thee turn thy back. 1883 Whitelaw Sophocles, Ajax 199 Whose scornful wagging tongues to thee Are grievous. 1888 Meredith Poet. Wks. (1912) 570 There lived with us a wagging humourist [sc. a dog]. 1918 Sunday at Home June 609/1 A herd of pigs went by or goats with wagging beards. |