Fang

Pronunciation

• enPR: făng, IPA: /fæŋ/
• (also) US enPR: fāng, IPA: /feɪŋ/
• Rhymes: -æŋ

From Middle English fangen, from Old English fōn ("to take, grasp, seize, catch, capture, make prisoner, receive, accept, assume, undertake, meet with, encounter"), and Old Norse fanga ("to fetch, capture"), both from Proto-Germanic *fanhaną, *fangōną ("to catch, capture"), from Proto-Indo-European *ph₂ḱ- ("to fasten, place"). Cognate with West Frisian fange ("to catch"), Dutch vangen ("to catch"), German fangen ("to catch"), Danish fange ("to catch"), Albanian peng ("to hinder, hold captive").

Full definition of fang

Verb

1. (transitive, dialectal or archaic) To catch, capture; seize; grip; clutch; lay hold of.
• J. WebsterHe's in the law's clutches; you see he's fanged.
2. (transitive, dialectal or obsolete) To take; receive with assent; accept.
3. (transitive, obsolete, as a guest) To receive with hospitality; welcome.
4. (transitive, obsolete, a thing given or imposed) To receive.
5. (transitive, dialectal) To receive or adopt into spiritual relation, as in baptism; be godfather or godmother to.

Derived terms

• fanger
• fangle
• infang
• onfang
• underfang

From Middle English fang, feng ("a catching, capture, seizing"), from Old English fang, feng ("grip, embrace, grasp, grasping, capture, prey, booty, plunder"), from Proto-Germanic *fangą, *fangiz, *fanhiz ("catch, catching, seizure"), from *fanhaną ("to catch, capture"), from Proto-Indo-European *ph₂ǵ- ("to fasten"). Cognate with Scots fang ("that which is taken, capture, catch, prey, booty"), Dutch vang ("a catch"), Low German fangst ("a catch"), German Fang ("a catch, capture, booty"), Swedish fång, fångst, Icelandic fang. Related also to Latin pangere ("to solidify, drive in"), Albanian mpij ("to benumb, stiffen"), Ancient Greek πήγνυμι (pḗgnumi, "to stiffen, firm up"), Sanskrit पाशयति (pāśáyati, "(s)he binds").

Noun

1. (Now chiefly dialetal, Scotland) A grasping; capture; the act or power of seizing; hold.
2. That which is seized or carried off; booty; spoils; stolen goods.
3. Any projection, catch, shoot, or other thing by which hold is taken; a prehensile part or organ.
• Evelynthe protuberant fangs of the yucca
4. (mining) A channel cut in the rock, or a pipe of wood, used for conveying air.
5. (rare, in the plural) Cage-shuts.
6. (nautical) The coil or bend of a rope; (by extension) a noose; a trap.
7. (nautical) The valve of a pump box.

Derived terms

• fanging

Verb

1. (Scotland, transitive) To supply (a pump) with the water necessary for it to operate.

From an abbreviation of fangtooth, from Middle English *fangtooth, *fengtooth, from Old English fængtōþ, fengtōþ ("canine tooth", literally catch-tooth). Cognate with German Fangzahn ("fang", literally catch-tooth) and Dutch vangtand ("").

Noun

1. a long, pointed canine tooth used for biting and tearing flesh
2. (in snakes) a long pointed tooth for injecting venom

Derived terms

• fanged
• fangless

Verb

1. (rare) To strike or attack with the fangs.
2. To enable to catch or tear; to furnish with fangs.
• Philipschariots fanged with scythes----