play (the) wag
To absent oneself or leave early from school or work when one would normally be required to be there. Primarily heard in UK. I was so restless and bored at work that I decided to play the wag after lunch. Hey, Jim and I are playing wag from school on Friday, do you want to come with us? That's the last time you play wag, mister! From now on, I'm dropping you to school every morning!
wag (it)
To absent oneself or leave early (from school or work) when one would normally be required to be there; to play truant. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. I was so restless and bored at work that I decided to just wag it after lunch without telling anyone. Hey, Jim and I are planning on wagging from school on Friday, do you want to come with us? That's the last time you wag class, mister! From now on, I'm dropping you to school every morning!
wag off
To absent oneself or leave early from school or work when one would normally be required to be there; to play truant. Primarily heard in UK, Australia. I was so restless and bored at work that I decided to just wag off after lunch without telling anyone. Hey, Jim and I are planning on wagging off from school on Friday, do you want to come with us? That's the last time you wag off class, mister! From now on, I'm dropping you off to school every morning!
start tongues (a-)wagging
To be a source of gossip, slander, or idle speculation. Just when the dust of his previous scandal had begun to settle, the governor did something new to start tongues a-wagging across the country. Being such a media celebrity means that anything one does, no matter how banal, is enough to start tongues wagging.
wag (one's) tongue
To talk or chat. My dad is a pretty quiet guy, but when he's interested in something, he can really wag his tongue. My wife and her sister haven't seen each other in awhile, so they've been wagging their tongues all day.
WAGs
An acronym for "wives and girlfriends." It is usually applied to wives and girlfriends of famous people, especially professional athletes. Are WAGs invited to the event too?
cause (some) tongues to wag
Fig. to cause people to gossip; to give people something to gossip about. The way John was looking at Mary will surely cause some tongues to wag. The way Mary was so scantily dressed will also cause tongues to wag.
set tongues (a)wagging
Fig. to cause people to start gossiping. The affair between the boss and her accountant set tongues a wagging. If you don't get the lawn mowed soon, you will set tongues wagging in the neighborhood.
tail wagging the dog
a situation where a small part is controlling the whole of something. John was just hired yesterday, and today he's bossing everyone around. It's a case of the tail wagging the dog. Why is this small matter taking so much time? Now it's the tail wagging the dog!
wag one's chin
Rur. to talk. She loves to visit. She'll wag her chin for hours. He was on the phone, wagging his chin to his buddy.
the tail wagging the dog
if you describe a situation as the tail wagging the dog, you mean that the least important part of a situation has too much influence over the most important part Steve thinks we should buy an orange carpet to match the lampshade but I think that would be a case of the tail wagging the dog.
set/start tongues wagging
(informal) if something that someone says or does sets tongues wagging, it causes people to talk about them His late-night visit to her home has set tongues wagging.
tail wagging the dog, the
A small or unimportant factor or element governing an important one; a reversal of the proper roles. For example, She found herself explaining the new therapy to her doctor-a real case of the tail wagging the dog . [c. 1900]
tongues wag
People are gossiping. For example, Tongues wagged when another police car was parked in front of their house, or Their arrival in a stretch limousine set the neighbors' tongues wagging. This metaphoric expression transfers the rapid movement of the tongue to idle or indiscreet chatter. [Late 1500s]