I. ˈfaŋ verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English fangen, fongen, alteration of fon (past feng, past participle fangen, fongen ), from Old English fōn (past fēng, past participle fangen, fongen ) — more at pact
transitive verb
1. now dialect Britain : to lay hold of : seize
2. obsolete
a. : to get into one's power or possession : snare , capture , obtain , procure
b. : to receive as a guest
c. : to set about : commence , undertake , begin
d. : take , consume
3. now dialect England : to receive as due : earn
intransitive verb
dialect England : to act as sponsor at baptism — usually followed by to
II. ˈfaŋ, ˈfaiŋ noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German fang seizure, Old Norse fang grip; derivative from the root of Old English fōn to seize
1. chiefly Scotland : booty , plunder
2. obsolete : a seizing or capture : catch ; also : grip , grasp
3.
a. : a long sharp tooth by which the prey of an animal is seized and held or torn : a long pointed tooth ; especially : one of the long, hollow or grooved, and often erectile, teeth of venomous serpents
b. : one of the chelicerae of a spicer at the tip of which a poison gland opens
4. : the root of a tooth or one of the processes or prongs into which a root divides
5. : any of various sharp or elongated processes: as
a. dialect England : talon , claw
b. : a projecting tooth or prong (as on a lock, the plate of a belt clamp, or the end of a tool)
c. : a branch on a normally unbranched thickened tap root (as of a sugar beet or carrot)
6. obsolete : vang
III. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. : to strike with or as if with fangs
he jumped aside but the snake fanged him
the wind … fanged his ears — Countee Cullen
2. : to supply (a pump) with water so as to make it work : prime
3. : to fit with or as if with fangs
the gray rocks were fanged with long icicles — Victor Canning
IV. ˈfa]ŋ, ˈfä] noun
also fan ]n\
( plural fang or fangs or fan or fans )
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: French Fan, perhaps modification of Fang Mpangwe
1.
a. : an African people occupying the Ogowe basin, French Equatorial Africa and noted for their carved and painted religious masks
b. : a member of such people — called also Pahouin, Pangwe
2. : a Bantu language of the Fang people