I. ˈgin verb
( gan ˈgan ; gin·ning )
Etymology: Middle English ginnen, short for beginnen
Date: 13th century
archaic : begin
II. ˈjin noun
Etymology: Middle English gin, from Anglo-French, short for engin — more at engine
Date: 13th century
: any of various tools or mechanical devices: as
a. : a snare or trap for game
b. : cotton gin
III. ˈjin transitive verb
( ginned ; gin·ning )
Date: 1606
1. : snare
2. : to separate (cotton fiber) from seeds and waste material
3. : to come up with : generate — usually used with up
gin up support for the policy
• gin·ner noun
IV. ˈgin conjunction
Etymology: perhaps by contraction from dialect gif if + an if
Date: 1580
dialect : if
V. ˈjin noun
Etymology: by shortening & alteration from geneva
Date: 1713
1. : a colorless alcoholic beverage made from distilled or redistilled neutral grain spirits flavored with juniper berries and aromatics (as anise and caraway seeds)
2.
a. : gin rummy
b. : the act of laying down a full hand of matched cards in gin rummy
• gin·ny ˈjin-ē adjective