Get a wiggle on facts for kids
Get a wiggle on is a fun English phrase that means to hurry up or move quickly! It's like telling someone to "get moving" or "speed it up." This phrase is an idiom, which means its meaning isn't obvious from the individual words. It's also a colloquialism, meaning it's used in everyday, informal conversations.
Where Did 'Get a Wiggle On' Come From?
The phrase "get a wiggle on" started becoming popular around the late 1800s. In 1891, a magazine called Wilson's Photographic Magazine used the phrase in a poem. The poem began with the line, "Get a wiggle on, my lad, Don't walk at a funeral pace..." This shows it was already understood to mean "hurry up" back then.
Later, in 1919, the phrase even appeared in a song! The song had lyrics like, "Get a wiggle on, get a wiggle on, Don't stand there with a giggle-on." By the 1920s, "get a wiggle on" had become a common piece of slang in America. Slang words are informal words or phrases often used by specific groups of people.
How People Use 'Get a Wiggle On' Today
Even today, "get a wiggle on" is still used to tell someone to hurry. The Cambridge Dictionary, a well-known dictionary, defines the phrase as meaning "to hurry up." It has been used since at least 1891 and is still heard in the 21st century.
This phrase isn't just used in America! It's also a common slang term in Australia. You can even find it listed in the Aussie Slang Dictionary. So, whether you're in the United States or Australia, if someone tells you to "get a wiggle on," you know it's time to move!
See also
- List of English-language idioms
