n. [ From Wag, v. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The act of wagging; a shake; as, a wag of the head. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ Perhaps shortened from wag-halter a rogue. ] A man full of sport and humor; a ludicrous fellow; a humorist; a wit; a joker. [ 1913 Webster ]

We wink at wags when they offend. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

A counselor never pleaded without a piece of pack thread in his hand, which he used to twist about a finger all the while he was speaking; the wags used to call it the thread of his discourse. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Wagged p. pr. & vb. n. Wagging. ] [ OE. waggen; probably of Scand. origin; cf. Sw. vagga to rock a cradle, vagga cradle, Icel. vagga, Dan. vugge; akin to AS. wagian to move, wag, wegan to bear, carry, G. & D. bewegen to move, and E. weigh. √136. See Weigh. ] To move one way and the other with quick turns; to shake to and fro; to move vibratingly; to cause to vibrate, as a part of the body; as, to wag the head. [ 1913 Webster ]

No discerner durst wag his tongue in censure. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head. Jer. xviii. 16. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Wag expresses specifically the motion of the head and body used in buffoonery, mirth, derision, sport, and mockery. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To move one way and the other; to be shaken to and fro; to vibrate. [ 1913 Webster ]

The resty sieve wagged ne'er the more. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To be in action or motion; to move; to get along; to progress; to stir. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

“Thus we may see, ” quoth he, “how the world wags.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To go; to depart; to pack oft. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

I will provoke him to 't, or let him wag. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. (Zool.) A small East Indian wild cat (Felis wagati), regarded by some as a variety of the leopard cat. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OF. wage, gage, guarantee, engagement. See Wage, v. t. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. That which is staked or ventured; that for which one incurs risk or danger; prize; gage. [ Obs. ] “That warlike wage.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That for which one labors; meed; reward; stipulated payment for service performed; hire; pay; compensation; -- at present generally used in the plural. See Wages. “My day's wage.” Sir W. Scott. “At least I earned my wage.” Thackeray. “Pay them a wage in advance.” J. Morley. “The wages of virtue.” Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

By Tom Thumb, a fairy page,
He sent it, and doth him engage,
By promise of a mighty wage,
It secretly to carry. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our praises are our wages. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Existing legislation on the subject of wages. Encyc. Brit. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Wage is used adjectively and as the first part of compounds which are usually self-explaining; as, wage worker, or wage-worker; wage-earner, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Board wages. See under 1st Board. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Hire; reward; stipend; salary; allowance; pay; compensation; remuneration; fruit. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Waged p. pr. & vb. n. Waging ] [ OE. wagen, OF. wagier, gagier, to pledge, promise, F. gager to wager, lay, bet, fr. LL. wadium a pledge; of Teutonic origin; cf. Goth. wadi a pledge, gawadjōn to pledge, akin to E. wed, G. wette a wager. See Wed, and cf. Gage. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To pledge; to hazard on the event of a contest; to stake; to bet, to lay; to wager; as, to wage a dollar. Hakluyt. [ 1913 Webster ]

My life I never but as a pawn
To wage against thy enemies. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To expose one's self to, as a risk; to incur, as a danger; to venture; to hazard. “Too weak to wage an instant trial with the king.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

To wake and wage a danger profitless. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To engage in, as a contest, as if by previous gage or pledge; to carry on, as a war. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ He pondered ] which of all his sons was fit
To reign and wage immortal war with wit. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

The two are waging war, and the one triumphs by the destruction of the other. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To adventure, or lay out, for hire or reward; to hire out. [ Obs. ] “Thou . . . must wage thy works for wealth.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To put upon wages; to hire; to employ; to pay wages to. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Abundance of treasure which he had in store, wherewith he might wage soldiers. Holinshed. [ 1913 Webster ]

I would have them waged for their labor. Latimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (O. Eng. Law) To give security for the performance of. Burrill. [ 1913 Webster ]

To wage battle (O. Eng. Law), to give gage, or security, for joining in the duellum, or combat. See Wager of battel, under Wager, n. Burrill. --
To wage one's law (Law), to give security to make one's law. See Wager of law, under Wager, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To bind one's self; to engage. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) See Waggel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ D., literally, wagon tree. ] (Bot.) A south African proteaceous tree (Protea grandiflora); also, its tough wood, used for making wagon wheels. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To make a bet; to lay a wager. [ 1913 Webster ]

'T was merry when
You wagered on your angling. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]