wag /wæ g/ (wags , wagging , wagged )
1 VERB When a dog wags its tail, it repeatedly waves its tail from side to side. □ [V n] The dog was biting, growling and wagging its tail.
2 VERB If you wag your finger, you shake it repeatedly and quickly from side to side, usually because you are annoyed with someone. □ [V n] He wagged a disapproving finger.
3 VERB If you wag your head, you move it from side to side, often because you are unhappy about a situation. □ [V n] He wags his head unhappily.
wage ◆◇◇ /we I dʒ/ (wages , waging , waged )
1 N‑COUNT Someone's wages are the amount of money that is regularly paid to them for the work that they do. □ His wages have gone up. □ This may end efforts to set a minimum wage well above the poverty line.
2 VERB If a person, group, or country wages a campaign or a war, they start it and continue it over a period of time. □ [V n] …the three factions that had been waging a civil war. COLLOCATIONS wage NOUN 1
adjective + wage : average, minimum, weekly; decent, high, low
verb + wage : earn, receive; pay, raise, set SYNONYMS wage NOUN 1
pay: …their complaints about their pay and conditions.
earnings: Average weekly earnings rose by 1.5% in July.
remuneration: $31,000 is a generous remuneration.
income: Over a third of their income comes from comedy videos.
waged /we I dʒd/
1 Waged is the past tense and past participle of wage .
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Waged workers receive money regularly for doing a job. Waged work is work that you are paid to do. □ …the influx of women into the waged workforce. □ They want secure, waged employment.
wa ge pack|et (wage packets ) N‑COUNT People's wages can be referred to as their wage packet . [mainly BRIT ] □ They work long hours in order to take home a fat wage packet. in AM, usually use paycheck
wa|ger /we I dʒə r / (wagers , wagering , wagered )
1 VERB If you wager on the result of a horse race, football match, or other event, you give someone a sum of money which they give you back with extra money if the result is what you predicted, or which they keep if it is not. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V + on ] Just because people wagered on the Yankees did not mean that they liked them. □ [V n + on ] He never wagered money on games involving his own team. ● N‑COUNT Wager is also a noun. □ [+ on ] There have been various wagers on certain candidates since the Bishop announced his retirement.
2 VERB If you say that you will wager that something is the case, you mean you are confident that it is the case. □ [V that] She was willing to wager that he didn't own the apartment he lived in.
wag|gle /wæ g ə l/ (waggles , waggling , waggled ) VERB If you waggle something, or if something waggles , it moves up and down or from side to side with short quick movements. □ [V n] He was waggling his toes in his socks. □ [V ] …puppet animals with eyes that move and ears that waggle.
wag|on /wæ gən/ (wagons ) in BRIT, also use waggon 1 N‑COUNT A wagon is a strong vehicle with four wheels, usually pulled by horses or oxen and used for carrying heavy loads.
2 N‑COUNT A wagon is a large container on wheels which is pulled by a train. [mainly BRIT ] in AM, use freight car
3 PHRASE Someone who is on the wagon has stopped drinking alcohol. [INFORMAL ] □ I'm on the wagon for a while. Cleaning out my system.
4 → see also station wagon
wag|tail /wæ gte I l/ (wagtails ) N‑COUNT A wagtail is a type of small bird which moves its tail quickly up and down as it walks.
wah-wah /wɑː wɑː/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu N n] In music, wah-wah is used to describe the sound produced by covering and uncovering the open end of a brass instrument. This sound can also be produced electronically, especially when playing the electric guitar. □ He played some wah-wah guitar.
waif /we I f/ (waifs ) N‑COUNT If you refer to a child or young woman as a waif , you mean that they are very thin and look as if they have nowhere to live. □ …a dirty-faced waif of some five or six years.
wail /we I l/ (wails , wailing , wailed )
1 VERB If someone wails , they make long, loud, high-pitched cries which express sorrow or pain. □ [V ] The women began to wail in mourning. □ [V + for ] …a mother wailing for her lost child. ● N‑COUNT Wail is also a noun. □ [+ of ] Wails of grief were heard as visitors filed past the site of the disaster.
2 VERB If you wail something, you say it in a loud, high-pitched voice that shows that you are unhappy or in pain. □ [V with quote] 'Now look what you've done!' Shirley wailed. □ [V that] Primrose, stupefied by tiredness, began to wail that she was hungry. [Also V + about ]
3 VERB If something such as a siren or an alarm wails , it makes a long, loud, high-pitched sound. □ [V ] Police cars, their sirens wailing, accompanied the lorries. ● N‑UNCOUNT Wail is also a noun. □ [+ of ] The wail of the bagpipes could be heard in the distance. ● wail|ing N‑UNCOUNT □ Our artillery opened up and we heard a fearful wailing and screeching.