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.
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
We grab our soap and wade out into the river’s side channel for a wash-up and dip before breakfast, hoping a gar doesn’t rub up against our legs with its jagged teeth and prehistoric scales.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 2, 2023
The alligator gar caught in eastern China last week weighed roughly 11 pounds.
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 Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir
"Hola, mon gar.," said Aylward, seating himself upon a boulder by his side.
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
The headquarters of the Grand Army of the Republic at Des Moines announced that there were at the beginning of 1923 71,106 G.A.R. veterans as opposed to 85,618 a year before.
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 number of G.A.R. posts shrank from 4,218 to 3,659 in the same period.
From Time Magazine Archive
More than that, he was one of those responsible for the organization of the G.A.R. as a cohesive and potent force in the national life.
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
"But what could hae garred him leave our Ellen?"
From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland Volume 13 by Various
Wi' coulters and wi' forehammers We garred the bars bang merrilie, Until we came to the inner prison, Where Willie o' Kinmont he did lie.
From Lyra Heroica A Book of Verse for Boys by Various
I cudna help frae notisin' hoo it garred a'body sit straucht up.
From My Man Sandy by Salmond, J. B.
But lest it should move the hearts of the people, Lag garred beat the drum.
From The Men of the Moss-Hags Being a history of adventure taken from the papers of William Gordon of Earlstoun in Galloway by Crockett, S. R. (Samuel Rutherford)
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.
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.
