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ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

gang.

To go; walk; proceed.

4 characters1 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

verb/ˈɡæŋ/[ˈɡæŋ]/ˈɡeɪ̯ŋ/Canada, US[ˈɡeɪ̯ŋ]Canada, US
  1. To go; walk; proceed.

    Northern-England · Scotland · intransitive
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰengʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *ganganą Proto-West Germanic *gangan Old English gangan Middle English gangen English gang From Middle English gangen, from Old English gangan (“to go, walk, turn out”), from Proto-West Germanic *gangan, from Proto-Germanic *ganganą (“to go, walk”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰengʰ- (“to step, walk”). Cognate with Scots gang (“to go on foot, walk”), Swedish gånga (“to walk, go”), Faroese ganga (“to walk”), Icelandic ganga (“to walk, go”), Norwegian Nynorsk ganga (“to walk, go”), Vedic Sanskrit जंहस् (jáṃhas). Ultimately related to etymology 2, which see below.

noun/ˈɡæŋ/[ˈɡæŋ]/ˈɡeɪ̯ŋ/Canada, US[ˈɡeɪ̯ŋ]Canada, US
  1. A number going in company; a number of friends or persons associated for a particular purpose.

  2. A number going in company; a number of friends or persons associated for a particular purpose. A group of laborers under one foreman; a squad or workgang.

  3. A number going in company; a number of friends or persons associated for a particular purpose. A criminal group with a common cultural background and identifying features, often associated with a particular section of a city.

  4. A number going in company; a number of friends or persons associated for a particular purpose. A group of criminals or alleged criminals who band together for mutual protection and profit.

    The Winter Hill Gang was quite proficient at murdering rival mobsters in order to take over their rackets.
  5. A number going in company; a number of friends or persons associated for a particular purpose. A group of politicians united in furtherance of a political goal.

    The Gang of Four was led by Jiang Qing, the fourth wife of Mao Zedong.
    Not all members of the Gang of Six are consistent in their opposition to filibuster.
  6. A number going in company; a number of friends or persons associated for a particular purpose. A chain gang.

    US
  7. A number going in company; a number of friends or persons associated for a particular purpose. A term of address for a group, particularly when cautioning them or offering advice.

  8. A number going in company; a number of friends or persons associated for a particular purpose. A term of address for a group, particularly when cautioning them or offering advice. A term of address for any other person or group of people.

    Internet · broadly
  9. A number going in company; a number of friends or persons associated for a particular purpose. A group of animals.

    broadly · collective
  10. A number going in company; a number of friends or persons associated for a particular purpose. A group of animals. A group of turkeys.

    broadly · collective
  11. A set of things. A combination of similar tools or implements arranged so as, by acting together, to save time or labor; a set.

  12. A set of things. A set; all required for an outfit.

  13. A set of things. A number of switches or other electrical devices wired into one unit and covered by one faceplate.

  14. A set of things. A group of wires attached as a bundle.

    Do a drop for the telephone gang, then another drop for the Internet gang, both through the ceiling of the wiring closet.
  15. A going, journey; a course, path, track.

    dialectal
  16. An outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory.

    obsolete
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰengʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰóngʰos Proto-Germanic *gangaz Proto-West Germanic *gang Old English gang Middle English gang English gang From Middle English gang, from Old English gang (“a journey; way; passage”), from Proto-West Germanic *gang, from Proto-Germanic *gangaz, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰongʰ-o-s, from *ǵʰengʰ- (“to step; stride”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Gong, Dutch gang, German Gang, Norwegian gang, Swedish gång, Icelandic gangur, Vedic Sanskrit जंहस् (jáṃhas).

verb/ˈɡæŋ/[ˈɡæŋ]/ˈɡeɪ̯ŋ/Canada, US[ˈɡeɪ̯ŋ]Canada, US
  1. To attach similar items together to form a larger unit.

    transitive
Where this word comes from

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰengʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰóngʰos Proto-Germanic *gangaz Proto-West Germanic *gang Old English gang Middle English gang English gang From Middle English gang, from Old English gang (“a journey; way; passage”), from Proto-West Germanic *gang, from Proto-Germanic *gangaz, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰongʰ-o-s, from *ǵʰengʰ- (“to step; stride”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Gong, Dutch gang, German Gang, Norwegian gang, Swedish gång, Icelandic gangur, Vedic Sanskrit जंहस् (jáṃhas).

verb/ˈɡæŋ/[ˈɡæŋ]/ˈɡeɪ̯ŋ/Canada, US[ˈɡeɪ̯ŋ]Canada, US
  1. Synonym of gangbang.

Where this word comes from

Shortening of gangbang.

verb/ˈɡæŋ/[ˈɡæŋ]/ˈɡeɪ̯ŋ/Canada, US[ˈɡeɪ̯ŋ]Canada, US
  1. Pronunciation spelling of gan.

    alt-of · pronunciation-spelling
Where this word comes from

See gan.

noun/ˈɡæŋ/[ˈɡæŋ]/ˈɡeɪ̯ŋ/Canada, US[ˈɡeɪ̯ŋ]Canada, US
  1. Alternative form of gangue.

    alt-of · alternative · countable · uncountable
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Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.