gad

1
[ gad ]
See synonyms for gad on Thesaurus.com
verb (used without object),gad·ded, gad·ding.
  1. to move restlessly or aimlessly from one place to another: to gad about.

noun
  1. the act of gadding.

Origin of gad

1
1425–75; late Middle English gadden, perhaps back formation from gadeling companion in arms, fellow (in 16th century, vagabond, wanderer), Old English gædeling, derivative of gæd fellowship; see gather, -ling1

Other words from gad

  • gadder, noun
  • gad·ding·ly, adverb

Words Nearby gad

Other definitions for gad (2 of 4)

gad2
[ gad ]

noun
  1. a goad for driving cattle.

  2. a pointed mining tool for breaking up rock, coal, etc.

Origin of gad

2
1175–1225; Middle English <Old Norse gaddr spike; cognate with Gothic gazds

Other definitions for Gad (3 of 4)

Gad1

or gad

[ gad ]

interjection
  1. (used as a mild oath.)

Origin of Gad

3
First recorded in 1600–10; euphemism for God

Other definitions for Gad (4 of 4)

Gad2
[ gad ]

noun
  1. a son of Zilpah. Genesis 30:11.

  2. one of the twelve tribes of Israel, traditionally descended from him.

  1. a Hebrew prophet and chronicler of the court of David. 2 Samuel 24:11–19.

Origin of Gad

4
From Late Latin, from Greek Gád, from Hebrew Gādh “(good) luck”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use gad in a sentence

  • Starring the Frozen snowman, the first episode of At Home With Olaf debuted in early April 2020 thanks to their speedy work, with gad joking that quarantine restrictions forced him to become an ace sound engineer.

    The Next Ava DuVernays | Sean Culligan | April 25, 2021 | Ozy
  • gad affects 6.8 million adults, and women are twice as likely to suffer as men.

  • gad said that the Army has announced it has footage from the scene that "shows exactly what happened, so let's wait and see."

    Death on the Nile | Christopher Dickey, Mike Giglio | July 8, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • "There was a warning from the Army that the Muslim Brotherhood would try to invade" the building, gad says.

    Death on the Nile | Christopher Dickey, Mike Giglio | July 8, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • (Ynet) Last known gay Jewish Holocaust survivor dies - World War II resistance fighter gad Beck dies in Berlin at 88.

    When the Pious Do Graffiti | Orly Halpern | June 27, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for gad (1 of 4)

gad1

/ (ɡæd) /


verbgads, gadding or gadded
  1. (intr; often foll by about or around) to go out in search of pleasure, esp in an aimless manner; gallivant

noun
  1. carefree adventure (esp in the phrase on or upon the gad)

Origin of gad

1
C15: back formation from obsolete gadling companion, from Old English, from gæd fellowship; related to Old High German gatuling

Derived forms of gad

  • gadder, noun

British Dictionary definitions for gad (2 of 4)

gad2

/ (ɡæd) /


noun
  1. mining a short chisel-like instrument for breaking rock or coal from the face

  2. a goad for driving cattle

  1. a western US word for spur (def. 1)

verbgads, gadding or gadded
  1. (tr) mining to break up or loosen with a gad

Origin of gad

2
C13: from Old Norse gaddr spike; related to Old High German gart, Gothic gazds spike

British Dictionary definitions for Gad (3 of 4)

Gad1

/ (ɡæd) /


noun, interjection
  1. an archaic euphemism for God by Gad!

British Dictionary definitions for Gad (4 of 4)

Gad2

/ (ɡæd) /


nounOld Testament
    • Jacob's sixth son, whose mother was Zilpah, Leah's maid

    • the Israelite tribe descended from him

    • the territory of this tribe, lying to the east of the Jordan and extending southwards from the Sea of Galilee

  1. a prophet and admonisher of David (I Samuel 22; II Samuel 24)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012