imp. of Gin. [ See Gin, v. ] Began; commenced. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Gan was formerly used with the infinitive to form compound imperfects, as did is now employed. Gan regularly denotes the singular; the plural is usually denoted by gunne or gonne. [ 1913 Webster ]

This man gan fall (i.e., fell) in great suspicion. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

The little coines to their play gunne hie (i. e., hied). Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

Later writers use gan both for singular and plural. [ 1913 Webster ] Yet at her speech their rages gan relent. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Sp., pertaining to gain, held in common, fr. ganancia gain. ] (Law) Designating, pertaining to, or held under, the Spanish system of law (called
ganancial system) which controls the title and disposition of the property acquired during marriage by the husband or wife. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. t. [ Cf. F. ganche, n., also Sp. & Pg. gancho hook, It. gancio. ] To drop from a high place upon sharp stakes or hooks, as the Turks dropped malefactors, by way of punishment. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ganching, which is to let fall from on high upon hooks, and there to hang until they die. Sandys. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. gandra, ganra, akin to Prov. G. gander, ganter, and E. goose, gannet. See Goose. ] The male of any species of goose. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Mohandas Gandhi, a Hindu nationalist and religious leader, who preached non-violent resistance to oppression. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

adj. of or pertaining to Mohandas Gandhi. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. i. [ See Yawn. ] To yawn; to gape. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

prop. n. (Hindu Myth.) The Hindu god of wisdom, prudence and prophesy; the remover of obstacles.
Syn. -- Ganapati. [ 1913 Webster WordNet 1.5 ]

☞ He is represented as a short, fat, red-colored man, with a large belly and the head of an elephant. Balfour. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ AS. gangan, akin to OS. & OHG. gangan, Icel. ganga, Goth. gaggan; cf. Lith. żengti to walk, Skr. ja&ndot_;gha leg. √48. Cf. Go. ] To go; to walk. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Obsolete in English literature, but still used in the North of England, and also in Scotland. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Icel. gangr a going, gang, akin to AS., D., G., & Dan. gang a going, Goth. gaggs street, way. See Gang, v. i. ] 1. A going; a course. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A number going in company; hence, a company, or a number of persons associated for a particular purpose; a group of laborers under one foreman; a squad; as, a gang of sailors; a chain gang; a gang of thieves. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A combination of similar implements arranged so as, by acting together, to save time or labor; a set; as, a gang of saws, or of plows. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Naut.) A set; all required for an outfit; as, a new gang of stays. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. [ Cf. Gangue. ] (Mining) The mineral substance which incloses a vein; a matrix; a gangue. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. A group of teenagers or young adults forming a more or less formalized group associating for social purposes, in some cases requiring initiation rites to join; as, a teen gang; a youth gang; a street gang. Youth gangs often associate with particular areas in a city, and may turn violent when they feel their territory is encroached upon. In Los Angeles the Crips and the Bloods are large gangs antagonistic to each other. [ PJC ]

7. A group of persons organized for criminal purposes; a criminal organization; as, the Parker gang. [ PJC ]

Gang board, or
Gang plank. (Naut.) (a) A board or plank, with cleats for steps, forming a bridge by which to enter or leave a vessel. (b) A plank within or without the bulwarks of a vessel's waist, for the sentinel to walk on. --
Gang cask, a small cask in which to bring water aboard ships or in which it is kept on deck. --
Gang cultivator,
Gang plow, a cultivator or plow in which several shares are attached to one frame, so as to make two or more furrows at the same time. --
Gang days, Rogation days; the time of perambulating parishes. See Gang week (below). --
Gang drill, a drilling machine having a number of drills driven from a common shaft. --
Gang master, a master or employer of a gang of workmen. --
Gang plank. See Gang board (above). --
Gang plow. See Gang cultivator (above). --
Gang press, a press for operating upon a pile or row of objects separated by intervening plates. --
Gang saw, a saw fitted to be one of a combination or gang of saws hung together in a frame or sash, and set at fixed distances apart. --
Gang tide. See Gang week (below). --
Gang tooth, a projecting tooth. [ Obs. ] Halliwell. --
Gang week, Rogation week, when formerly processions were made to survey the bounds of parishes. Halliwell. --
Live gang, or
Round gang, the Western and the Eastern names, respectively, for a gang of saws for cutting the round log into boards at one operation. Knight. --
Slabbing gang, an arrangement of saws which cuts slabs from two sides of a log, leaving the middle part as a thick beam. [ 1913 Webster ]