wiggle

From Middle English wiglen, probably from Middle Dutch wigelen (“to wiggle”) and perhaps Middle Low German wigelen, frequentative of wiegen (“to rock”), from wiege (“cradle”)[1]. See wain, and Dutch wieg (“cradle”).

Cognate to Dutch wiggelen (“to wiggle”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈwɪɡ.l/

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• Hyphenation: wig‧gle

wiggle (third-person singular simple present wiggles, present participle wiggling, simple past and past participle wiggled)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To move with irregular, back and forward or side to side motions; To shake or jiggle.

   Her hips wiggle as she walks.

   The jelly wiggles on the plate when you move it.

wiggle (plural wiggles)

1. A rapid movement in alternating opposite directions, not necessarily regular.

   She walked with a sexy wiggle.

2. (figuratively) An alternating state or characteristic. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
3. (in the plural) See wiggles.