I. ˈgin verb
( gan ˈgan ; gun·nen ˈgənən ; ginning ; gins )
Etymology: Middle English ginnen, short for onginnen to begin (from Old English onginnan ) & beginnen to begin — more at begin
archaic : begin
II. ˈjin noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English gin, modification of Old French engin skill, mechanical contrivance — more at engine
: any of several machines, tools, or mechanical devices: as
a. : a snare or trap for game
b. : a machine for raising or moving heavy weights (as a tripod formed of poles united at the top, with a windlass, pulleys, and ropes)
c. : a cotton gin or any similar device used for separating seed or foreign matter from fiber to be used commercially ; also : a building where cotton is ginned
III. transitive verb
( ginned ; ginned ; ginning ; gins )
1. : to catch in a gin : snare
2. : to separate (cotton fiber) from seeds and waste material
IV. (ˌ)gin conjunction
Etymology: perhaps alteration of gif
dialect : if
gin a body meet a body — Robert Burns
V. ˈjin noun
( -s )
Etymology: by shortening and alteration from geneva (II)
1.
a. : a strong alcoholic liquor extensively made in the Netherlands by distilling a mash of grain (as rye) in pot stills with juniper berries — called also Hollands
b. : a similar liquor made from plain spirit flavored with an aromatic (as juniper berries, aniseed, coriander, fennel, or turpentine) and usually containing about 40 percent of alcohol by weight
2.
a. : gin rummy
b. : the act of going gin : the act of laying down a full hand of matched cards in gin rummy ; also : the bonus of usually 20 or 25 points for doing so
VI. adjective
: having all 10 of one's cards in gin rummy matched in sets
VII. adverb
: with all 10 of one's cards in gin rummy matched in sets
VIII. (ˌ)gin preposition
Etymology: by shortening & alteration from again (II)
dialect : before , by
I'll be home gin midnight
IX. conjunction
dialect : by the time that : when
gin daylight came he had gone
X. ˈgin
dialect
past of give
XI. ˈjin noun
( -s )
Etymology: native name in Australia
Australia : an aboriginal woman