verb
waggle
Waggle (verb) means to move something with brief, rapid motions; to shake unsteadily.
verb
1
To move something with brief, rapid motions; to shake unsteadily.
"Oscar turned to someone who wasn't there and waggled his head. "Hoo, boy," he said."
— Avram Davidson, Or All The Seas With Oysters (1958)
2
To lift and lower something rapidly, often to hint at something sly or knowing.
3
To sway unsteadily from side to side while walking.
"The tassel on the end of his pigtail waggled all down the path and, as he turned out of the gate, it gave a special little flip."
— Emily Carr, The Book of Small (1942)
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Etymology
Comes from Middle English wagelen (attested in wagelyng), possibly borrowed from Middle Low German wagelen; equivalent to wag + -le (“(frequentative)”). Compare the continental equivalents Middle High German wacken (which gives Danish vakle and German wackeln), Swedish vagla, West Frisian waggelje, Low German wackeln, and Dutch waggelen.
Synonyms
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wamble
wag
Related words
Rhymes for waggle
See all rhymes for waggle →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of waggle?
"waggle" (verb) means to move something with brief, rapid motions; to shake unsteadily.
What is another word for waggle?
Other words for "waggle" include wamble, wag.
What are the different meanings of waggle?
"waggle" has 3 main meanings: 1. To move something with brief, rapid motions; to shake unsteadily; 2. To lift and lower something rapidly, often to hint at something sly or knowing; 3. To sway unsteadily from side to side while walking.
