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gang

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The definition of a gang is a group of people who spend a lot of time together, often for negative purposes such as stealing or attacking others.

(noun)

An example of a gang is a group of youths who frequently rob stores and beat up others.

See gang in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

a group of people associated together in some way; specif.,
1. a group of workers directed by a foreman
2. an organized group of criminals
3. a squad of convicts at work
4. a group of youths from one neighborhood banded together for social reasons; often specif., a band of juvenile delinquents
a set of like tools, machines, components, etc., designed or arranged to work together: often used attributively: gang drills
a very large number of persons or things

Origin: ME, a band or company, orig., a going, journey < OE < base of gangan: see gang

intransitive verb

☆ to form, or be associated in, a gang (with up)

transitive verb

☆ Informal to attack as a gang
☆ to arrange in a gang, or coordinated set

intransitive verb

Scot. to go or work

Origin: ME gangen < OE gangan, akin to ON ganga, Goth gaggan, to go < IE base *ĝhengh- > Sans jáṁhas-, a step

See gang in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A group of criminals or hoodlums who band together for mutual protection and profit.
A group of adolescents who band together, especially a group of delinquents.
Informal A group of people who associate regularly on a social basis: The whole gang from the office went to a clambake.
A group of laborers organized together on one job or under one foreperson: a railroad gang.
A matched or coordinated set, as of tools: a gang of chisels.
a. A pack of wolves or wild dogs.
b. A herd, especially of buffalo or elk. See Synonyms at flock¹.

verb ganged, gang·ing, gangs

verb, intransitive

To band together as a group or gang.

verb, transitive

To arrange or assemble into a group, as for simultaneous operation or production: gang several pages onto one printing plate.
To attack as an organized group.

Phrasal Verb: gang up To join together in opposition or attack: The older children were always ganging up on the little ones. To act together as a group: various agencies ganging up to combat the use of illicit drugs.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English, band of men

Origin: , from Old English, journey

Origin: , and Old Norse -gangr, journey, group (as in thjofagangr, gang of thieves)

noun

Variant of gangue.

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