GANG

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does gang mean? 

• GANG (noun)
  The noun GANG has 4 senses:

1. an association of criminals

2. an informal body of friends

3. an organized group of workmen

4. tool consisting of a combination of implements arranged to work together

  Familiarity information: GANG used as a noun is uncommon.

• GANG (verb)
  The verb GANG has 1 sense:

1. act as an organized group

  Familiarity information: GANG used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GANG (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An association of criminals

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

gang; mob; pack; ring

Context example:

a pack of thieves

Hypernyms ("gang" is a kind of...):

association (a formal organization of people or groups of people)

Meronyms (members of "gang"):

gangster; mobster (a criminal who is a member of gang)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gang"):

nest (a gang of people (criminals or spies or terrorists) assembled in one locality)

youth gang (a gang whose members are teenagers)

Holonyms ("gang" is a member of...):

gangdom; gangland; organized crime (underworld organizations)

Derivation:

gangdom (underworld organizations)

gangster (a criminal who is a member of gang)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An informal body of friends

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

bunch; crew; crowd; gang

Context example:

he still hangs out with the same crowd

Hypernyms ("gang" is a kind of...):

assemblage; gathering (a group of persons together in one place)

Derivation:

gang (act as an organized group)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An organized group of workmen

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Synonyms:

crew; gang; work party

Hypernyms ("gang" is a kind of...):

social unit; unit (an organization regarded as part of a larger social group)

Meronyms (members of "gang"):

crewman (a member of a work crew)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "gang"):

shift (a crew of workers who work for a specific period of time)

detail (a crew of workers selected for a particular task)

chain gang (a gang of convicts chained together)

ground-service crew; ground crew (the crew of technicians and mechanics who service aircraft on the ground)

road gang (a gang of road workers)

section gang (a work crew assigned to a section of a railroad)

stage crew (crew of workers who move scenery or handle properties in a theatrical production)

Holonyms ("gang" is a member of...):

hands; manpower; men; work force; workforce (the force of workers available)

Derivation:

gang (act as an organized group)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Tool consisting of a combination of implements arranged to work together

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("gang" is a kind of...):

tool (an implement used in the practice of a vocation)

• GANG (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they gang    ... he / she / it gangs   
Past simple: ganged   
Past participle: ganged   
-ing form: ganging   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Act as an organized group

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

gang; gang up

Hypernyms (to "gang" is one way to...):

aggroup; group (form a group or group together)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

gang (an organized group of workmen)

gang (an informal body of friends)

 Context examples 

Still, there are other gangs of three besides the Randalls, or it may be some new gang of which the police have never heard.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It seemed that after we had left, Prendergast and his gang had proceeded to put to death the five remaining prisoners.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"The gang lives here—got the whole upstairs to themselves. But Kreis is the only one who has two rooms. Come on."

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

With so many planets there—Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto, the gang of three that are some of the most powerful planets in the solar system—you certainly are focused on making more money.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

“We have known for some time that a clever gang was at work,” said the inspector.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

And when he had overthrown the strange dog the gang went in to finish it.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Alone I did it. Behold the fruit of pensive nights and laborious days when I watched the little working gangs as once I watched the criminal world of London.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He was just settling himself to begin when the clock struck six, whereupon he laboured to get up, and said:—I must gang ageeanwards home now, miss.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Miss Wickfield, if you have any love for your father, you had better not join that gang.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

“Just wait till he gets a glimpse iv yer mugs to-morrow, the gang iv ye,” he chuckled.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)