wag the dog

English

Etymology

From tail wagging the dog, first used in the 1858 play, Our American Cousin. The shortened form with the political sense was popularized by the film Wag the Dog (1997).

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

wag the dog (third-person singular simple present wags the dog, present participle wagging the dog, simple past and past participle wagged the dog)

1. (idiomatic, politics) To divert negative political attention by use of a military operation.
2. When something powerful or important is being controlled by something that is less powerful or important.