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  • gar
    gar
    noun
    any predaceous freshwater fish of the genus Lepisosteus, of North America, covered with hard, diamond-shaped scales and having long jaws with needlelike teeth.
  • gar.
    gar.
    abbreviation
    garage.
  • G.A.R.
    G.A.R.
    abbreviation
    Grand Army of the Republic.
Synonyms

gar

1 American  
[gahr] / gɑr /

noun

  • gar,
    plural
  • gars
    plural
  1. Also called garfish, garpike. any predaceous freshwater fish of the genus Lepisosteus, of North America, covered with hard, diamond-shaped scales and having long jaws with needlelike teeth.

  2. needlefish.


gar 2 American  
[gahr] / gɑr /

verb (used with object)

garred, garring
  1. Scot. to compel or force (someone) to do something.

  2. Scot. and North England Obsolete. to do, perform, or cause.


gar. 3 American  

abbreviation

  1. garage.


G.A.R. 4 American  

abbreviation

  1. Grand Army of the Republic.


gar 1 British  
/ ɡɑː /

noun

  1. short for garpike garfish

"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

gar 2 British  
/ ɡɑːr /

verb

  1. (tr) to cause or compel

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of gar1

1755–65, shortened form of garfish

Origin of gar2

1250–1300; Middle English geren, garren, gairen < Old Norse gera to do, make; akin to Old English gearwian to prepare


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Inside the coprolite, scientists identified several feathers, tiny scales from a gar fish, and leg bones belonging to a hesperornithiform bird.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026

This has likely kept gar genomes so stable that species and even genera whose last common ancestor lived more than 100 million years ago have diverged very little.

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 8, 2024

The gar can grow up to 10 feet and prefers sluggish bodies of water such as the artificial lake in Ruzhou, he said.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 25, 2022

He also said voters had responded positively to his party's plans to cut VAT using the proceeds from a windfall tax on the profits of oil and gar companies.

From BBC ● May 6, 2022

"They did for Santa- gar," the Hound continued.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

"It is like enough, mon gar., as things go."

From The White Company by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

"Hola, mon gar.," said Aylward, seating himself upon a boulder by his side.

From The White Company by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

About 250 arts professionals attended the symposium, presented in the G.A.R.

From Chicago Tribune ● Jun. 8, 2011

The number of G.A.R. posts shrank from 4,218 to 3,659 in the same period.

From Time Magazine Archive

In Salt Lake City, Utah's G.A.R. held its 60th annual convention, nominated Ira Stormes, 96, for the organization's presidency, re-elected him for the eleventh consecutive time.

From Time Magazine Archive

Do the achievements in its public life of members of the American Legion justify General Harbord's belief that the Legion is following in the footsteps of the G.A.R.?

From Time Magazine Archive

“Well, why don’t we write to the G.A.R. and ask? Someone there might know.”

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Prehistoric-looking fish called gars, which have the slowest rate of molecular evolution of all jawed vertebrates, are the most striking examples.

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 8, 2024

Alligator gars, native to the Americas, were introduced to China as pet fish.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 25, 2022

I always loved the huge alligator snapping turtle, watch your hands, but the huge gars, alligator gars and catfish are gone forever.

From New York Times ● Mar. 26, 2018

The gars, a family of fish with long bodies, extended jaws, sharp teeth, and hard scales, has been on the planet for at least 100 million years.

From The Verge ● Dec. 20, 2015

Some of the beg gars look too young to have even taken the Trial.

From "Legend" by Marie Lu

"Wild mulberries for her mouth to eat, She'll get nae mair though it garred her greet, O dear mither."

From Poems & Ballads (First Series) by Algernon Charles Swinburne

Juist at this meenit Aleck aff wi' Sandy's coat syne he but the hoose wi' him an' garred him shove his airms ower the heid in his mither's floor pock.

From My Man Sandy by J. B. Salmond

It would raley garred ye think ye was amon' braw fowk.

From My Man Sandy by J. B. Salmond

Ay, he’d have garred the young eels squirm.

From Krindlesyke by Wilfrid Wilson Gibson

I says, giein' him a shak' that garred him turn up the white o' his een.

From My Man Sandy by J. B. Salmond

The deil's in you, Monkbarns, for garring odds and evens meet.

From The Antiquary — Volume 02 by Sir Walter Scott

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