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Gang

1. A going; a course.

2. A number going in company; hence, a company, or a number of persons associated for a particular purpose; a group of laborers under one foreman; a squad; as, a gang of sailors; a chain gang; a gang of thieves.

3. A combination of similar implements arranged so as, by acting together, to save time or labour; a set; as, a gang of saws, or of plows.

4. A set; all required for an outfit; as, a new gang of stays.

5. [Cf. Gangue.

(Science: chemical) The mineral substance which incloses a vein; a matrix; a gangue. Gang board, or gang plank.

a board or plank, with cleats for steps, forming a bridge by which to enter or leave a vessel. A plank within or without the bulwarks of a vessels waist, for the sentinel to walk on. Gang cask, a small cask in which to bring water aboard ships or in which it is kept on deck. Gang cultivator, gang plow, a cultivator or plow in which several shares are attached to one frame, so as to make two or more furrows at the same time. Gang days, rogation days; the time of perambulating parishes. See gang week (below). Gang drill, a drilling machine having a number of drills driven from a common shaft. Gang master, a master or employer of a gang of workmen. Gang plank. See gang board (above). Gang plow. See gang cultivator (above). Gang press, a press for operating upon a pile or row of objects separated by intervening plates. Gang saw, a saw fitted to be one of a combination or gang of saws hung together in a frame or sash, and set at fixed distances apart. Gang tide. See gang week (below). Gang tooth, a projecting tooth. Gang week, rogation week, when formerly processions were made to survey the bounds of parishes. Live gang, or round gang, the western and the Eastern names, respectively, for a gang of saws for cutting the round log into boards at one operation. Slabbing gang, an arrangement of saws which cuts slabs from two sides of a log, leaving the middle part as a thick beam.

Origin: Icel. Gangr a going, gang, akin to as, D, g, & dan. Gang a going, goth. Gaggs street, way. See gang.