Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense gangs, present participle ganging, past tense, past participle ganged
1. countable noun
A gang is a group of people, especially young people, who go around together and often deliberately cause trouble.
During the fight with a rival gang he lashed out with his flick knife.
Gang members were behind a lot of the violence.
He was attacked by a gang of youths. [+ of]
Synonyms: group, crowd, pack, company More Synonyms of gang
2. countable noun
A gang is a group of criminals who work together to commit crimes.
Police were hunting for a gang who had allegedly stolen fifty-five cars.
...an underworld gang.
...a gang of masked robbers. [+ of]
Synonyms: ring, firm [slang], organization, band More Synonyms of gang
3. singular noun
Thegang is a group of friends who frequently meet.
[informal]
Come on over, we've got lots of the old gang here.
Synonyms: circle, group, crowd, company More Synonyms of gang
4. countable noun
A gang is a group of workers who do physical work together.
...a gang of labourers. [+ of]
Synonyms: squad, team, troop, force More Synonyms of gang
Phrasal verbs:
See gang up
gang in British English1
(ɡæŋ)
noun
1.
a group of people who associate together or act as an organized body, esp for criminal or illegal purposes
2.
an organized group of workmen
3.
a herd of buffaloes or elks or a pack of wild dogs
4. New Zealand
a group of shearers who travel to different shearing sheds, shearing, classing, and baling wool
5.
a.
a series of similar tools arranged to work simultaneously in parallel
b.
(as modifier)
a gang saw
verb
6.
to form into, become part of, or act as a gang
7. (transitive) electronics
to mount (two or more components, such as variable capacitors) on the same shaft, permitting adjustment by a single control
Derived forms
ganged
adjective
Word origin
Old English gang journey; related to Old Norse gangr, Old High German gang, Sanskrit jangha foot
gang in British English2
(ɡæŋ)
verb
Scottish
to go
Word origin
Old English gangan to go1
gang in British English3
(ɡæŋ)
noun
a variant spelling of gangue
gang in American English1
(gæŋ)
noun
1.
a group of people associated together in some way
; specif.,
a.
a group of workers directed by a foreman
b.
an organized group of criminals
c.
a squad of convicts at work
d.
a group of youths from one neighborhood banded together for social reasons; often specif., a band of juvenile delinquents
2.
a set of like tools, machines, components, etc., designed or arranged to work together
often used attributively
gang drills
3.
a very large number of persons or things
verb intransitive
4. US
to form, or be associated in, a gang (with up)
verb transitive
5. US, Informal
to attack as a gang
6. US
to arrange in a gang, or coordinated set
Idioms:
gang up on
Word origin
ME, a band or company, orig., a going, journey < OE < base of gangan: see gang2
gang in American English2
(gæŋ)
verb intransitive
Scottish
to go or work
Word origin
ME gangen < OE gangan, akin to ON ganga, Goth gaggan, to go < IE base *ĝhengh- > Sans jáṁhas-, a step
COBUILD Collocations
gang
girl gang
Examples of 'gang' in a sentence
gang
It must have been done by an organised gang with experience of handling birds.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
A leaked document highlights how taxpayers' cash could be misused by terror groups or criminal gangs.
The Sun (2016)
A criminal gang was said to be hunting a suitcase containing 1million worth of cash and drugs.
The Sun (2016)
A student and his aunt were shot dead by a gang of five men who burst into her home hunting for another man, their family said yesterday.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Rival clan gangs competed to control the fortified port perimeter.
Aidan Hartley THE ZANZIBAR CHEST: A Memoir of Love and War (2003)
Police suspect the gang banked profits in offshore accounts around the world.
The Sun (2006)
She and her husband had formed a gang with another couple who were their best friends.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
This matches the amount that members of the gang allegedly claim to have been paid.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We need to move people from deviant gangs to socially constructive ones.
Christianity Today (2000)
He said that the criminals were settling scores with members of rival gangs linked to organised crime.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They have joined a gang and two are already in trouble with the police.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They put it up because gangs were fighting each other across the park.
The Sun (2012)
There he joined a gang that robbed youths of their phones at knifepoint.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Would you still want to be part of his gang then?
The Sun (2008)
Designer pets are increasingly becoming a target for organised gangs.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The gang that committed the robbery are said to be the foot soldiers of the mystery figure.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
You can say that some are in organised criminal gangs.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
There is no peer group or gang.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Organised begging and the gangs who control it must be an automatic custodial offence.
The Sun (2013)
Police say gangs are taking extreme measures to ward off rivals.
The Sun (2012)
Older men form gangs called the bandits.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
We always had a great gang of people and family too.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The court was told of dozens of shootings and stabbings involving rival gang members in the two yearsbefore the killing.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
They are said to be part of a gang that allegedly demanded a ransom of about 80,000.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The gang are back together, but for how long?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Although this man gave the gang a false name, Goody claims he always knew his real identity.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
gang
British English: gang /ɡæŋ/ NOUN
A gang is a group of people who join together for some purpose, often criminal.
American English: gang
Arabic: عِصَابَة
Brazilian Portuguese: gangue
Chinese: 团伙
Croatian: banda
Czech: gang
Danish: bande
Dutch: bende boevenbende
European Spanish: pandilla
Finnish: jengi
French: groupe gang
German: Bande
Greek: συμμορία
Italian: banda
Japanese: ギャング
Korean: 갱
Norwegian: gjeng
Polish: gang
European Portuguese: gang
Romanian: bandă
Russian: банда
Latin American Spanish: pandilla
Swedish: gäng
Thai: สมัครพรรคพวก
Turkish: çete
Ukrainian: банда
Vietnamese: băng nhóm
All related terms of 'gang'
gang-gang
a small black cockatoo , Callocephalon fimbriatum, of SE Australia , the male of which has a scarlet head
gang up
If people gang up on someone, they unite against them for a particular reason , for example in a fight or argument .
gang hook
a multiple fishhook consisting of several, usually three , hooks with their shanks joined
gang plow
a plow with a number of shares fastened side by side for making several furrows at a time
gang rape
If someone is gang raped , they are raped by a group of people.
gang saw
a saw having several parallel blades making simultaneous cuts
gang show
an amateur theatrical performance with a cast made up of youth members of Scouts and Guides
gang way
if someone calls out gang way! they are asking people to make way or clear a path
girl gang
A gang is a group of people, especially young people, who go around together and often deliberately cause trouble .
road gang
a group of labourers who repair roads
chain gang
In the United States , a chain gang is a group of prisoners who are chained together to do work outside their prison . Chain gangs existed especially in former times.
gang-banger
a member of a street gang
gang plough
a plough having two or more shares, coulters , and mouldboards designed to work simultaneously
press gang
If you are press-ganged into doing something, you are made or persuaded to do it, even though you do not really want to.
gang culture
The culture of a particular organization or group consists of the habits of the people in it and the way they generally behave .
gang up on
to attack or oppose as a group
gang violence
Violence is behaviour which is intended to hurt , injure , or kill people.
gang warfare
violent fighting or conflict between street gangs
section gang
a crew of persons ( section hands ) who do the maintenance work on a railroad section
shearing gang
a group of itinerant workers who contract to shear , class, and bale a farmer's wool clip
Gang of Four
→ the Gang of Four
the Gang of Four
a radical faction within the Chinese Communist Party that emerged as a political force in the spring of 1976 and was suppressed later that year. Its members, Zhang Chunqiao, Wang Hongwen, Yao Wenyuan, and Jiang Qing, were tried and imprisoned (1981)
Baader-Meinhof Gang
a group of left-wing West German terrorists , active in the 1970s, who were dedicated to the violent overthrow of capitalist society
gangplow
a plough having two or more shares, coulters , and mouldboards designed to work simultaneously
Chinese translation of 'gang'
gang
(ɡæŋ)
n(c)
[of criminals, hooligans]一帮 (yī bāng)
[of friends, colleagues]一伙(夥) (yī huǒ)
[of workmen]一组(組) (yī zǔ)
All related terms of 'gang'
tank
( Mil ) 坦克 tǎnkè [ 辆(輛) liàng ]
tub
( container ) 缸 gāng [ 个(個) gè ]
gang up
▶ to gang up on sb 联(聯)合起来(來)对(對)付某人 liánhé qǐlái duìfu mǒurén
to gang up on sb
联(聯)合起来(來)对(對)付某人 liánhé qǐlái duìfu mǒurén
aquarium
( fish tank ) 养(養)鱼(魚)缸 yǎng yú gāng [ 个(個) gè ]
just
( frm : fair : decision, punishment, reward ) 公平的 gōngpíng de ⇒ Was Pollard's life sentence just or was it too severe? → 判波拉德无期徒刑公平呢，还是太重了？ Pàn Bōlādé wúqī túxíng gōngpíng ne, háishì tài zhòng le? ( society, cause ) 公正的 gōngzhèng de ⇒ a just and civilized society → 一个公正文明的社会 yī gè gōngzhèng wénmíng de shèhuì
to have just done sth
刚(剛)刚(剛)做完某事 gānggāng zuòwán mǒushì ⇒ He has just left. → 他刚走。 Tā gāng zǒu.
past
( in front of, beyond, later than ) 过(過) guò ⇒ He walked past the hat shop. → 他走过了这家帽子店。 Tā zǒuguòle zhè jiā màozidiàn. ⇒ The farm was just past the village. → 过了村庄就是农场。 Guòle cūnzhuāng jiù shì nóngchǎng. ⇒ I think we must have gone past the turn. → 我想我们已经过了转弯处。 Wǒ xiǎng wǒmen yǐjīng guòle zhuǎnwānchù. ⇒ It's long past bedtime. → 早过了就寝的时间了。 Zǎo guòle jiùqǐn de shíjiān le.
child
儿(兒)童 értóng [ 个(個) gè ]
she's just had her second child
她刚(剛)生了第二个(個)孩子 tā gāng shēngle dì'èr gè háizi
green
( colour ) 绿(綠)色的 lǜsè de
now
( at the present time ) 现(現)在 xiànzài ⇒ It is now just after one o'clock. → 现在刚过1点钟。 Xiànzài gāng guò yī diǎn zhōng. ⇒ I'm going home now. → 我要回家了。 Wǒ yào huíjiā le.
scarcely
( barely ) 几(幾)乎不 jīhū bù
scarcely had I arrived when the phone rang
我刚(剛)到电(電)话(話)就响(響)了 wǒ gāng dào diànhuà jiù xiǎng le
infant school
幼儿(兒)学(學)校 yòuér xuéxiào [ 所 suǒ ] ⇒ He's just started at infant school. → 他刚开始上幼儿学校。 Tā gāng kāishǐ shàng yòu'ér xuéxiào.
immediately
( at once ) 立即地 lìjí de
immediately he had said it, he regretted it
他刚(剛)一说(說)完马(馬)上就后(後)悔了 tā gāng yī shuōwán mǎshàng jiù hòuhuǐ le
lot
( set, group : of papers, books, people etc ) 批 pī ⇒ We've just sacked one lot of builders. → 我们刚解雇了一批建筑工人。 Wǒmen gāng jiěgùle yī pī jiànzhù gōngrén.
new
( brand new ) 崭(嶄)新的 zhǎnxīn de ⇒ We have just bought a new television. → 我们刚买了一台崭新的电视。 Wǒmen gāng mǎile yī tái zhǎnxīn de diànshì. ⇒ smart new houses → 漂亮的新居 piàoliang de xīnjū
while
一会(會)儿(兒) yīhuìr ⇒ a book that I read a little while ago → 我不久前刚看的一本书 wǒ bùjiǔ qián gāng kàn de yī běn shū
give
( hand over )
the roof/floor gave as I stepped on it
我刚(剛)一踩上去屋顶(頂)/地板就塌了 wǒ gāng yī cǎi shàngqù wūdǐng/dìbǎn jiù tā le
man
[ c ] ( person ) 男人 nánrén [ 个(個) gè ] ⇒ Larry was a handsome man in his early fifties. → 50刚出头的拉里是个帅气的男人。 Wǔshí gāng chūtóu de Lālǐ shì gè shuàiqì de nánrén.
1 (noun)
Definition
a group of people who go around together, often to commit crime
He was attacked by a gang of strangers.
Synonyms
group
a small group of football supporters
crowd
It took some two hours before the crowd was fully dispersed.
pack
a pack of journalists who wanted to interview him
company
party
a party of explorers
lot
We've just sacked one lot of builders.
band
bands of government soldiers
crew (informal)
a motley crew of college friends
bunch
The players were a great bunch.
mob
Can you stop your mob tramping all over the place?
horde
A horde of people was screaming for tickets.
2 (noun)
Definition
a group of people who go around together, often to commit crime
an underworld gang
Synonyms
ring
investigation of an international crime ring
firm (slang)
The firm's employees were expecting large bonuses.
organization
Most of the funds are provided by voluntary organizations.
band
cell
mob
syndicate
They formed a syndicate to buy the car.
3 (noun)
Definition
a group of people who go around together, often to commit crime
Come on over; we've got lots of the old gang here.
Synonyms
circle
a small circle of friends
group
a radical group within the Communist Party
crowd
All the old crowd from my university days were there.
company
He was a notable young actor in a company of rising stars.
set
the popular watering hole for the literary set
crew
The film crew spent nearly twelve weeks shooting in Thailand.
fellowship
fraternity
the spread of stolen guns among the criminal fraternity
posse (slang)
clique
The country is run by a small clique of wealthy families.
coterie
The songs he recorded were written by a small coterie of dedicated writers.
4 (noun)
Definition
an organized group of workmen
a gang of labourers
Synonyms
squad
The club is under investigation by the fraud squad.
team
The team failed to qualify for the final.
troop
She was aware of a little troop of travellers watching them.
force
a pan-European peace-keeping force
shift
The night shift should have been safely down the mine long ago.
dream team
troupe
Additional synonyms
in the sense of band
Definition
having legs curved outwards at the knees
bands of government soldiers
Synonyms
gang,
company,
group,
set,
party,
team,
lot,
club,
body,
association,
crowd,
troop,
pack,
camp,
squad,
crew (informal),
assembly,
mob,
horde,
troupe,
posse (informal),
clique,
coterie,
bevy
in the sense of bunch
Definition
a group or company
The players were a great bunch.
Synonyms
group,
band,
crowd,
party,
team,
troop,
gathering,
crew (informal),
gang,
knot,
mob,
flock,
swarm,
multitude,
posse (informal),
bevy
in the sense of clique
Definition
a small exclusive group of friends or associates
The country is run by a small clique of wealthy families.