gan

See also: Appendix:Variations of "gan"

Translingual

Symbol

gan

  1. (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Gan.

See also

  • Wiktionary’s coverage of Gan terms

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɡæn/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Rhymes: -æn

Etymology 1

Probably a variant of gang, from Middle English gangen, from Old English gangan (to step; walk; go).

Alternative forms

Verb

gan (third-person singular simple present gans, present participle gawn or gannin, simple past went, past participle gane)

  1. (Northumbria, North Yorkshire) To go.
    • 2011, Chris Dockerty, Ramblings of a Geordie:
      The one problem I had here was my broad Geordie accent which the teachers tried their hardest to make me lose. I couldn't understand their problem with it because I could understand myself. Whenever I told them, "Am gannin yem", they would say, "No, Christopher. It's not "am gannin yem", it's "I am going home".

Etymology 2

Verb

gan

  1. (archaic) simple past of gin

Further reading

  • Frank Graham, editor (1987), “GAN”, in The New Geordie Dictionary, Rothbury, Northumberland: Butler Publishing, →ISBN.
  • Scott Dobson, Dick Irwin, “gan”, in Newcastle 1970s: Durham & Tyneside Dialect Group[2], archived from the original on 5 September 2024.
  • Todd's Geordie Words and Phrases, George Todd, Newcastle, 1977[3]
  • “Gan”, in Palgrave’s Word List: Durham & Tyneside Dialect Group[4], archived from the original on 5 September 2024, from F[rancis] M[ilnes] T[emple] Palgrave, A List of Words and Phrases in Everyday Use by the Natives of Hetton-le-Hole in the County of Durham [] (Publications of the English Dialect Society; 74), London: Published for the English Dialect Society by Henry Frowde, Oxford University Press, 1896, →OCLC.
  • Northumberland Words, English Dialect Society, R. Oliver Heslop, 1893–4
  • Bill Griffiths, editor (2004), “gan”, in A Dictionary of North East Dialect, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear: Northumbria University Press, →ISBN.

Anagrams

Antillean Creole

Etymology

From French gant.

Noun

gan

  1. glove

Bambara

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ɡã˦]

Verb

gan

  1. to jump

Etymology 2

Adjective

gan

  1. hot

Verb

gan

  1. (transitive) to heat up

References

Dharug

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ŋan/

Noun

gan

  1. reptile
  2. (specifically) goanna
    Synonym: wirriga

References

  • Troy, Jakelin (2019) [1994], The Sydney Language[5], 2nd edition, Canberra, ACT: Aboriginal Studies Press, →ISBN, page 45

Garo

Etymology

Borrowed from Bengali গান (gan).

Noun

gan

  1. song

Haitian Creole

Etymology

From French gant (glove).

Noun

gan

  1. glove

References

  • Targète, Jean; Urciolo, Raphael (1993), Haitian Creole-English Dictionary[6], Dunwoody Press, →ISBN, page 73

Irish

Etymology

From Old Irish cen (besides; without),[1] from Proto-Celtic *kina (on this side of); compare Middle Welsh am-gen (otherwise), Breton ken (otherwise).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɡən̪ˠ/, /ɡənˠ/[2][3]
  • (Munster, also) IPA(key): /ɡɑn̪ˠ/[4]
  • (Aran, also) IPA(key): /ɡɑn/, /ɡɔn/[2]

Preposition

gan (plus nominative, triggers no mutation in specific references but lenition in general references)

  1. without
  2. not (in conjunction with a verbal noun)

Usage notes

  • In standard written Irish, triggers lenition (except of d, s, t) of unmodified nouns, e.g. gan phingin (without a penny). Does not trigger lenition of modified nouns, e.g. gan pingin ina phóca (without a penny in his pocket). In the meaning ‘not’, does not trigger lenition of either a verbal noun or on the direct object of the verbal noun, e.g. gan ceannach (not to buy), gan pingin a shaothrú (not to earn a penny).
  • Unlike most prepositions, gan takes the nominative case of nouns, as shown by the lack of mutation of consonant-initial masculine singular nouns after the definite article, for example gan an plúr (without the flour), and the presence of t-prothesis of vowel-initial masculine singular nouns after the article, for example gan an t-airgead (without the money).
  • Unlike most prepositions, gan does not form prepositional pronouns, but is instead followed by the disjunctive form of a personal pronoun, for example gan mé (without me), gan sinn (without us), gan é (without him).

Quotations

  • 1899, Franz Nikolaus Finck, Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect], volume II (overall work in German), Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 127:
    ȷ imə šē leš gon ēn ńī ēkāl.
    [D’imigh sé leis gan aon ní a fheiceáil.]
    He left without seeing anything.
  • 1899, Franz Nikolaus Finck, Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect], volume II (overall work in German), Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 127:
    l̄aurofŭī n̥ ʒēlǵə fōs əŕ fȧ nə ciŕə, ʒā mĭøx gn̥ n̄āŕə ə ve orī fuhə.
    [Labhrófaí an Ghaeilge fós ar feadh na tíre dhá mbeadh gan náire a bheith oraibh fúithi.]
    Irish would still be spoken in the whole country if you pl were not ashamed of it.
  • 1899, Franz Nikolaus Finck, Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect], volume II (overall work in German), Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 128:
    hāniǵ šē ʒā rā, n̄ax mĭai šə sə mŭȧlə ən̄óxt agəs gon kūrm̥ ə ʒlakə fȳ.
    [Tháinig sé dhá rá nach mbeidh sé sa mbaile anocht agus gan cúram a ghlacadh faoi.]
    He came to say he won’t be home tonight and not to worry about him.

References

  1. ^ Gregory Toner, Sharon Arbuthnot, Máire Ní Mhaonaigh, Marie-Luise Theuerkauf, Dagmar Wodtko, editors (2019), “cen”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
  2. 2.0 2.1 Finck, F. N. (1899), Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect] (in German), Zweiter Band: Wörterbuch [Second volume: Dictionary], Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 127
  3. ^ Quiggin, E. C. (1906), A Dialect of Donegal, Cambridge University Press, § 428, page 138
  4. ^ Sjoestedt, M. L. (1931), Phonétique d’un parler irlandais de Kerry [Phonetics of an Irish Dialect of Kerry] (in French), Paris: Librairie Ernest Leroux, § 38, page 21

Further reading

  • Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “gan”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
  • de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959), “gan”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
  • gan”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013–2026

Japanese

Romanization

gan

  1. Rōmaji transcription of がん
  2. Rōmaji transcription of ガン

Jawe

Noun

gan

  1. tattoo

References

  • André-Georges Haudricourt et Françoise Ozanne-Rivière, Dictionnaire thématique des langues de la région de Hienghène (Nouvelle-Calédonie) : pije - fwâi - nemi - jawe, Lacito - Documents, Asie-Austronésie 4, SELAF no. 212, Peeters, 1982

Latvian

Conjunction

gan

  1. both, and

Usage notes

Used in pairs: gan jauna, gan skaista "both young and beautiful"

Low German

Verb

gan

  1. alternative form of gahn (to go)

Mandarin

Romanization

gan

  1. nonstandard spelling of gān
  2. nonstandard spelling of gǎn
  3. nonstandard spelling of gàn

Usage notes

  • Transcriptions of Mandarin into the Latin script often do not distinguish between the critical tonal differences employed in the Mandarin language, using words such as this one without indication of tone.

Middle English

Etymology 1

Preposition

gan

  1. alternative form of gain (against)

Etymology 2

Verb

gan

  1. (Early Middle English, Northern) alternative form of gon (to go)

Etymology 3

Verb

gan

  1. alternative form of gon (gone)


Middle High German

Alternative forms

Etymology

Inherited from Old High German gān, gēn, from Proto-West Germanic *gān.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): (before 13th CE) /ˈɡaːn/

Verb

gān (irregular, third-person singular present gāt, past tense gienc, past participle gegān or gegangen, past subjunctive gienge, auxiliary sīn)

  1. to go

Conjugation

Descendants

Middle Vietnamese

Etymology

From Proto-Vietic *t-kaːn, from Old Chinese (OC *s.kˤa[r]).

Noun

gan

  1. (anatomy) liver

Descendants

  • Vietnamese: gan

References

Northern Kurdish

Etymology

Cognate with Central Kurdish and Southern Kurdish گان (gan), Gurani گای (gai), Zazaki gaene, gainaene, Persian گاییدن, Middle Persian [Term?] (/⁠gādan⁠/).

In some dialects it's the animal equivalent of tê niyan (to fuck; lit. "to put in, insert") or a meaner way of saying "fuck" by insinuating the person cursed at is an animal. That considered, the actual sense may have been "to breed" and derived from ga (ox; bull; stud; any male cattle).

In some dialects and derived terms it's used only for homosexual acts or prostitution.

Verb

gan (present stem -gê-)

  1. to fuck, to breed, to have sexual intercourse, to copulate

Derived terms

  • tev gan ("fuck up")
  • xwe gê ("fuck yourself, fuck off")
  • xwe gan bi paş va ("back the fuck off")

Noun

gan f

  1. sex

Derived terms

  • gan dan ("to whore oneself", lit. "to give sex")
  • gander ("whore" lit. "sex-giver")
  • ganganok ("sodomite")
  • ganewî ("sexy")
  • gan kirin ("to have sex")

Nupe

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɡã̄/

Verb

gan

  1. to exceed; to surpass
    Èmì mi li gan èmì u.My house is cleaner than her house.
    U ge gan kpáátá.It's the best. (literally, “It is good surpassing all”)
    Gànsìkiya ligwa gankò.The truth washes the hands more than soap.

Usage notes

Used to construct the comparative and superlative.

Derived terms

  • gangan (to be too much)
  • ganganyí (very much)

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *gān.

Verb

gān

  1. to go

Conjugation

Derived terms

Descendants

Further reading

  • gān”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old English

Etymology

    From Proto-West Germanic *gān, from Proto-Germanic *gāną, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₁- (to leave). The verb was defective in Germanic and may have existed only in the present tense.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɡɑːn/

    Verb

    gān

    1. to go
      • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, "Gospel of Saint John", chapter 21, verse 3
        Ðā cwæð Simon Petrus tō him, Ic wylle gān on fixað. Þā cwǣdon hī tō him, And wē wyllað gān mid þē. And hī ēodon ūt, and ēodon on scip, and ne fēngon nān þing on þǣre nihte.
        Then said Simon Peter to them, "I want to go fishing." Then they said to him, "and we want to go with you." And they went out and went in a ship, and caught nothing in the night.
      • late 10th century, Ælfric, "The Seven Sleepers"
        ...hē wolde gān ūt of ðām porte...
        ...he desired to go out of the town...
      • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Chair of Saint Peter"
        ...swā hwǣr swā hē ēode and hī ealle āstōdon ansunde ætforan him þe on ðām fænne ǣr lagon.
        ...wheresoever he went, and they all rose up sound before him, who aforetime lay in the mire.
    2. to walk
      • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Chair of Saint Peter"
        ...and hē lēop sona cunniġende his fēðes hwæðer hē cūðe gān.
        and he leapt up immediately, trying his power of motion, whether he could walk.
      • late 9th century, translation of Bede's Ecclesiastical History
        Sē wer meahte unēaðe þurh hine selfne ārīsan oþþe gān.
        The man could barely get up or walk by himself.
      • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, John 6:66
        Siþþan maniġe his leornungcneohta ċierdon onbæc and lenġ ne ēodon mid him.
        After that, many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.
    3. to enter
      • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, Matthew 24:38-39
        On þǣm dagum ǣr þǣm flōde wǣron menn etende and drincende, and wīfiġende and ġifte sellende, ōþ þone dæġ þe Nōe on þā earċe ēode, and hīe nysson ǣr sē flōd cōm and nam hīe ealle.
        In the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they didn't know until the flood came and took them all.

    Usage notes

    • The expected present participle, gānde, is very rare. Instead gangende is almost always used, from the synonym gangan: Līf nis būtan gangendu sċadu ("Life is but a walking shadow").

    Conjugation

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

    Descendants

    Old Frisian

    Etymology

    From Proto-West Germanic *gān.

    Verb

    gān

    1. to go

    Conjugation

    Conjugation of gān (irregular, suppletive)
    infinitive gān
    indicative present past
    1st person singular geng
    2nd person singular gēst gengest
    3rd person singular gēth geng
    plural gāth gengun
    subjunctive present past
    singular gāe genge
    plural gāe, gāen genge, gengen
    imperative present
    singular
    plural gāth
    participle present past
    gānde, gangande egangen, gangen

    Descendants

    • Saterland Frisian: geen (simple past, past participle of gunge)
    • West Frisian: gean

    Old High German

    Alternative forms

    • gēnsee there for more

    Etymology

    From Proto-West Germanic *gān.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɡaːn/

    Verb

    gān

    1. to go

    Usage notes

    • The ā-form was found especially in Alemannic and in western Franconian. In the former, the vocalism was regularized early on (du gās, er gāt); in the latter, the West Germanic vowel alternation (du geis, he geit) has been preserved even to this day.

    Descendants

    See also

    Old Saxon

    Etymology

    From Proto-West Germanic *gān.

    Verb

    gān

    1. to go

    Conjugation

    Descendants

    Scots

    Alternative forms

    Etymology

    From Northern Middle English gan, from Old English gān (to go). Past tense supplied by Old English wenden (to wend).

    Verb

    gan (third-person singular simple present gans, present participle gan, simple past went or wett, past participle been)

    1. to go

    Scottish Gaelic

    Etymology

    Contraction of aig (at) +‎ an (their)

    Pronunciation

    Preposition

    gan (+ dative, triggers eclipsis of a vowel)

    1. them (direct object)
      A bheil sibh gan creidsinn?Do you believe them?

    Usage notes

    • Before words beginning with b, f, m or p gam is used instead.

    References

    1. ^ Oftedal, M. (1956), A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. III: The Gaelic of Leurbost, Isle of Lewis, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap, page 213
    2. ^ Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1940), A linguistic survey of the Gaelic dialects of Scotland, Vol. I: The dialects of the Outer Hebrides, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap, page 102
    3. ^ Wentworth, Roy (2003), Gaelic Words and Phrases From Wester Ross / Faclan is Abairtean à Ros an Iar, Inverness: CLÀR, →ISBN, page 5
    4. ^ Borgstrøm, Carl Hj. (1937), The dialect of Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Oslo: Norsk Tidsskrift for Sprogvidenskap, page 178
    5. ^ John MacPherson (1945) The Gaelic dialect of North Uist (Thesis)‎[1], Edinburgh: University of Edinburgh, page 171
    6. ^ Holmer, Nils M. (1938), Studies on Argyllshire Gaelic, Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksells boktryckeri-A.-B., page 117

    Sumerian

    Romanization

    gan

    1. romanization of 𒃶 (gan)

    Ternate

    Etymology

    From older gani.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): [ˈɡan]

    Noun

    gan

    1. alternative form of gani (louse)

    References

    • Rika Hayami-Allen (2001), A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh

    Tok Pisin

    Etymology

    From English gun.

    Noun

    gan

    1. gun

    Turkmen

    Etymology

    Inherited from Proto-Turkic *kān (blood). Cognate with Turkish kan.

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈɣɑːn/, [ˈɢɑ̝ːn]

    Noun

    gan (definite accusative gany, plural ganlar)

    1. blood

    Declension

    Declension of gan
    singular plural
    nominative gan ganlar
    accusative gany ganlary
    genitive ganyň ganlaryň
    dative gana ganlara
    locative ganda ganlarda
    ablative gandan ganlardan

    Derived terms

    • gan almak
    • gan dökmek
    • gan ýuwutmak
    • gany gaçmak

    Further reading

    • gan” in Enedilim.com
    • gan” in Webonary.org

    Vietnamese

    Pronunciation

    Etymology 1

    Inherited from Proto-Vietic *t-kaːn, derived from Old Chinese (OC *s.kˤa[r]) (SV: can). Cognate with Chut [Rục] təkaːn¹ ("bold").

    Attested as gan in the Dictionarium Annamiticum Lusitanum et Latinum (1651).

    Displaced native lòm, now only found in the compounds đỏ lòm and chua lòm.

    Noun

    (classifier , cái) gan • (, 𭆺)

    1. (anatomy) liver
    2. (figurative) audacity; gall; balls
      to ganaudacious
      nhát gan/gan thỏ đếchicken

    Adjective

    gan • (, 𭆺)

    1. hepatic
    2. courageous, brave, tough
    Derived terms

    Etymology 2

    (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

    Noun

    (classifier cây) gan

    1. Malus doumeri
      Synonym: sơn tra

    Anagrams

    Volapük

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): [ɡan]

    Noun

    gan (genitive gana, plural gans)

    1. (male or female) goose

    Declension

    Declension of gan
    Singular Plural
    Nominative gan gans
    Genitive gana ganas
    Dative gane ganes
    Accusative gani ganis
    Predicative1 ganu ganus
    Vocative o gan o gans
    1. Introduced in Volapük Nulik.

    Hypernyms

    Hyponyms

    Derived terms

    Terms derived from gan "goose"
    • ganablöt (breast of goose)
    • ganafoad (goose liver)
    • ganafoadabastet (pâté de foie gras, goose liver pâté)
    • ganalecek (goose-pen, enclosure for geese)
    • ganaleplüm (goose quill)
    • gananäst (goose's nest)
    • gananög (goose's egg)
    • ganapinod (goose fat)
    • ganapüladil (goose giblets)
    • ganaskin (goose skin)
    • ganigaledan (gooseherd)
    • nifagan (snow goose), Chen caerulescens

    See also

    Welsh

    Etymology 1

    From Middle Welsh cant, from Old Welsh cant, from Proto-Brythonic *gant, from Proto-Celtic *kanta.[1] Cognate with Breton gant and Ancient Greek κατά (katá, against; downwards).

    Pronunciation

    Preposition

    gan (triggers soft mutation)

    1. (North Wales) used with bod to indicate possession
      Synonym: gyda
      Mae gen i wallt hir.
      I have long hair.
      (literally, “Long hair is with me.”)
    2. by (after a passive construction)
      Cafodd y car ei ddwyn gan ddau llanc.
      The car was stolen by two youths.
    3. by, from (authorship)
      Dw i wedi cael tecst gan dad yn dweud sori.
      I have got a text from dad saying sorry.
    4. used with verbal noun to indicate an action simultaneous with that of the main verb, while, whilst
      • King, Gareth (1993), Modern Welsh: A Comprehensive Grammar (Routledge Grammars), London and New York: Routledge, →ISBN, page 131:
        Aeth o gwmpas y stafell gan ofyn yr un cwestiwn i bawb.
        He went around the room [while] asking everyone the same question.
    Usage notes

    See gan on Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru for more information.

    Inflection
    Personal forms (literary)
    singular plural
    first person gennyf gennym
    second person gennyt gennych
    third person ganddo m
    ganddi f
    ganddynt
    Personal forms (colloquial)
    singular plural
    first person gen i, gin i gennyn ni, ganddon ni, gynnon ni
    second person gen ti, gin ti gennych chi, ganddoch chi, gynnoch chi
    third person ganddo fe/fo, gynno fo m
    ganddi hi, gynni hi f
    gennyn nhw, ganddyn nhw, gynnyn nhw

    Etymology 2

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɡan/
    • Rhymes: -an

    Adjective

    gan

    1. soft mutation of can

    Noun

    gan

    1. soft mutation of can

    References

    1. ^ R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke, et al., editors (1950–present), “gan”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies

    Mutation

    Mutated forms of can
    radical soft nasal aspirate
    can gan nghan chan

    Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
    All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

    Wolof

    Pronunciation

    • Audio:(file)

    Noun

    gan (definite form gan gi)

    1. stranger
    2. guest

    Yoruba

    Alternative forms

    • gẹ̀n (Òǹkò)

    Etymology 1

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɡã̀/

    Verb

    gàn

    1. (transitive) to disparage, criticize, belittle
      Synonyms: pẹ̀gàn, ṣáátá, ṣàbùkù, kẹ́gàn
      ọ̀tá mí gànmy enemy disparages me
    Usage notes
    • gan before a direct object
    Derived terms
    • aganni
    • agàn (critic)
    • ẹlẹ́gàn (disparager)
    • ẹ̀gàn (rebuke, criticism)
    • kẹ́gàn (to cricitize)
    • pẹ̀gàn (to rebuke)
    • ṣẹ̀gàn
    • ìgàn

    Etymology 2

    Alternative forms

    • gẹn (Òǹkò)

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɡã̄/

    Verb

    gan

    1. (intransitive) to become stiff, to harden
      kankéré ti ganThe concrete has hardened
    Derived terms

    Etymology 3

    Alternative forms

    • gẹ́n (Òǹkò)

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɡã́/

    Verb

    gán

    1. (transitive) to stub, to clear (plants or a forest)
      Synonym: ṣán
      àgbẹ́ gán' igbóThe farmer cleared the forest
    Derived terms

    Etymology 4

    Alternative forms

    • gẹ́n (Òǹkò)

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɡã́/

    Verb

    gán

    1. to use something very sparingly
      Synonym: sún
      mo ń gán owó lòI am using money very sparingly
    Derived terms

    Etymology 5

    Alternative forms

    • gẹ́n (Òǹkò)

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɡã́/

    Verb

    gán

    1. to hit something with a thrown or spun object
      mo ń gán owó lòI am using money very sparingly
    Derived terms

    Etymology 6

    Alternative forms

    • gẹ́n (Òǹkò)

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɡã́/

    Verb

    gán

    1. to tack or stich something together
      Synonym: rán
      mo gán etí aṣọ pọ̀I hemmed the edge of the cloth together
    Derived terms
    • gbá (to stich together the edges of a mat)

    Etymology 7

    Alternative forms

    • gẹ́n (Òǹkò)

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɡã́/

    Verb

    gán

    1. to snatch something in the air, especially with one hand
      Synonyms: hán, wọ́n
      mo fọwọ́ gán bọ́ọ̀lù náà pákóI used my hand to snatch the ball swiftly from the air
    Derived terms