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.
Scot. to compel or force (someone) to do something.
Scot. and North England Obsolete. to do, perform, or cause.
1755–65, shortened form of garfish
1250–1300; Middle English geren, garren, gairen < Old Norse gera to do, make; akin to Old English gearwian to prepare
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Wading in a crystal clear Florida river, Mr Szabo photographed a female longnose gar alongside several males during the mating season.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2025
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
Government officials told local media that the gar could be hiding in an approximately 200-yard-long U-shaped pipeline leading to the lake.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 25, 2022
Even though modern bony fishes are much more diverse today, a previous study found that in the past they were not as numerous or varied as holosteans—the prehistoric relatives of today’s gar and paddlefish.
From Scientific American ● Mar. 23, 2022
"They did for Santa- gar," the Hound continued.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
"Hola, mon gar.," said Aylward, seating himself upon a boulder by his side.
From The White Company by Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir
"It is like enough, mon gar., as things go."
From The White Company by Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir
About 250 arts professionals attended the symposium, presented in the G.A.R.
From Chicago Tribune ● Jun. 8, 2011
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
Potentially, they are a pressure group which can make the G.A.R. and American Legion look like Youth Day at City Hall.
From Time Magazine Archive
The Red Cross rushed him to Washoe Medical Center, where doctors went to work, nurses stood over him day & night, and the Ladies' Auxiliary of the G.A.R. sent bushels of flowers.
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
“Economically, of course, it’s not worth it. Are we going to drain every lake when we spot gars there?” he said.
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
Princie, as he ca'd him, ga'e a gley roond wi' the white o' his e'e that garred Sandy keep a gude yaird clear o' him.
From My Man Sandy by Salmond, J. B.
She has garred build a bonny ship; It's a' covered o'er wi' pearl; And at every needle-tack was in't There hung a siller bell.
From The Romantic Scottish Ballads: Their Epoch and Authorship by Chambers, Robert W. (Robert William)
Ay, he’d have garred the young eels squirm.
From Krindlesyke by Gibson, Wilfrid Wilson
The haivers o' the two spooney craturs juist garred me feel like's I'd taen a fizzy drink or something.
From My Man Sandy by Salmond, J. B.
Syne came the deuk, but and the drake; The deuk took puddy, and garred him squaik.
From Lyrics from the Song-Books of the Elizabethan Age by Bullen, A. H. (Arthur Henry)
The deil's in you, Monkbarns, for garring odds and evens meet.
From The Antiquary — Volume 02 by Scott, Walter, Sir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
