wag (2) — ODE

wag2 /waɡ

▸ noun

1 a person who makes jokes; a joker:

one wag shouted, ‘On that count you've got about three supporters!’.

2 Australian and New Zealand English informal a person who plays truant:

Boogie plays the wag from school.

▸ verb

( wags, wagging, wagged)

[with object] Australian and New Zealand English informal play truant from (school):

he began hanging out with bad people and wagging school.

– ORIGIN mid 16th century (denoting a young man or mischievous boy, also used as a term of endearment to an infant): probably from obsolete waghalter ‘person likely to be hanged’ (see wag1, halter).