Also 6–7 wagle, 9 Sc. weegle, waigle. [A frequentative of WAR v.; not found before the last decade of the 16th c., but possibly much older. Equivalent formations in Continental Teut. are WFris. waggelje to totter, Du. waggelen to stagger (early mod. Flem. waeghelen, wagghelen; also trans. to shake); (M)LG. waggeln, G. wackeln to stagger, totter (whence prob. Sw. vakla, Da. vakle); Norw., Sw. vagla refl. to rock, sway. Cf. ME. wagre WAGGER v.; also WIGGLE, WIGGLE-WAGGLE vbs.]
1. trans. a. To move (anything held or fixed at one end) to and fro with short quick motions, or with a rapid undulation; esp. to shake (any movable part of the body). In sports or games often (colloq. or humorous), to wield or manipulate (a bat, oar, etc.).
1594. Nashe, Unfort. Trav., E 2 b. A third [man] wauerd & wagled his head, like a proud horse playing with his bridle. Ibid. (1599), Lenten Stuffe, 37. Our moderne phisitions, that to any sicke languishers if they be able to waggle their chaps, propound veale for one of the highest nourishers.
1597. A. M., trans. Guillemeau’s Fr. Chirurg., 27. If to rigorouslye we waggle the tooth vp or downe.
1819. W. Tennant, Papistry Storm’d (1827), 17. And, as she said, She weeglit her wing-wavin’ shoon.
1823. in Spirit Publ. Jrnls., 316. Thou, Pincher, farewell too! in vain Dost thou waggle thine innocent tail!
1860. Thackeray, Lovel, iv. (1861), 165. She hinted, she sighed, she waggled her head at me.
1871. C. Gibbon, Lack of Gold, viii. The swarms of geese and milk-white ducks … would step out to the bank and waggle their tails with satisfaction.
1881. Stevenson, Virg. Puerisque (1895), 98. When the old man waggles his head and says, ‘Ah, so I thought when I was your age,’ he has proved the youth’s case.
b. absol. Chiefly in Golf (cf. WAGGLE sb.): To swing the club-head to and fro over the ball in the line of the intended stroke.
1897. Outing, Aug., 423/1. On the other hand, another player, probably quite as good,… Mr. Horace Hutchinson, waggles, and waggles, as he addresses his ball, before each shot.
c. U.S. slang. To get the better of, overcome.
In recent Dictionaries.
d. nonce-use. To indicate by waggling the head.
1852. Reade, Peg Woff., xiii. 198. They all nodded and waggled assent.
2. intr. a. With advs. or advb. expressions denoting motion: To shake or wobble while in motion; to walk or move shakily; to waddle.
1611. Cotgr., Triballer, to wagle, or dangle vp and downe; to goe dingle dangle, wig wag.
1625. Jackson, Creed, V. v. 42. Apt they are not to moue many wayes, either vpward or downeward, but onely to waggle to and fro within a narrow compasse. Ibid., X. xxiv. 3080. Like to a Pair of Scales which never came to any Permanent Stay or constant Settling upon the right Center, but have one while wagled this way, another while that way.
1627. May, Lucan, V. I 3. Nor that the crow waggling along the shore Diues downe, and seemes t’ anticipate a showre.
1692. R. L’Estrange, Fables, ccii. 194. Why do you go Nodding, and Waggling so like a Fool, as if you were Hipshot? says the Goose to her Gosselin.
1819. W. Tennant, Papistry Storm’d (1827), 82. This said, the host wi’ richt guid will Begoud to waigle down the hill.
c. 1820. Colman, Broad Grins, etc. (1872), 313. A well-fed maggot … In some deep fruit-plate heaves, from snout to end, And works, and slips, and writhes, and waggles to ascend.
1840. Thackeray, Shabby-genteel Story, iii. The tall, red, lurid candlewick waggling down, the flame flickering pale upon Miss Caroline’s pale face.
1864. M. Eyre, Lady’s Walks S. France, xiii. (1865), 159–60. The little lizards … waggled off as fast as they could.
1896. Baden-Powell, Matabele Campaign, i. The men dance in a circle, stamping the time; the women waggle round and round the circle, outside it.
b. Of things held or fixed at one end: To move backwards and forwards with short quick motions, or with a rapid undulatory movement.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), To Waggle, to joggle, or move up and down, to be always in Motion.
c. 1820. Colman, Broad Grins, etc. (1872), 162. Harsh creaked the rope in its descent, And waggling down the bucket went.
1837. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Jackdaw Rheims, 138. His tail waggled more Even than before; But no longer it wagged with an impudent air.
1862. Darwin, Orchids, v. 17. When the flowers of this latter species were blown by a breath of wind, the tongue-like labellums all waggled about in a very odd manner.
1881. Besant & Rice, Chapl. Fleet, I. 129. ‘Tut, tut,’ he replied, shaking his great head till his cheeks waggled.
Hence Waggling vbl. sb. and ppl. a.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, II. iv. (1912), 167. A Hearne … getting up on his wagling winges with paine.
1599. Shaks., Much Ado, II. i. 117. I know you by the wagling of your head.
1907. Westm. Gaz., 20 Aug., 3/2. That 3lb. bat of his must take a bit of ‘waggling.’
