gang 1
/gang/ , n.
1. a group or band: A gang of boys gathered around the winning pitcher.
2. a group of youngsters or adolescents who associate closely, often exclusively, for social reasons, esp. such a group engaging in delinquent behavior.
3. a group of people with compatible tastes or mutual interests who gather together for social reasons: I'm throwing a party for the gang I bowl with.
4. a group of persons working together; squad; shift: a gang of laborers.
5. a group of persons associated for some criminal or other antisocial purpose: a gang of thieves.
6. a set of tools, electronic components or circuits, oars, etc., arranged to work together or simultaneously.
7. a group of identical or related items.
v.t.
8. to arrange in groups or sets; form into a gang: to gang illustrations for more economical printing on one sheet.
9. to attack in a gang.
v.i.
10. to form or act as a gang: Cutthroats who gang together hang together.
11. gang up on , Informal. (of a number of persons) to unite in opposition to (a person); combine against: The bigger boys ganged up on the smaller ones in the schoolyard.
[ 1300-50; ME; OE gang, gong manner of going, way, passage; c. OHG gang, ON gangr, Goth gagg; cf. GANG 2 ]
Syn. 1. company, crowd, crew; party, set, clique, coterie. 4. team.
gang 2
/gang/ , v.i. Chiefly Scot. and North Eng.
to walk or go.
[ bef. 900; ME gangen, OE gangan, gongan; c. OHG gangan, ON ganga, Goth gaggan; cf. GANG 1 , n. deriv. from same base ]