whang

¹ American  

[hwang, wang] / ʰwæŋ, wæŋ /

noun

1. a resounding blow.

2. the sound produced by such a blow.

   the whang of gongs and cymbals.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to strike with a resounding blow.

verb (used without object)

1. to resound with such a blow.

whang ² American  

[hwang, wang] / ʰwæŋ, wæŋ /

noun

1. a thong, especially of leather.

2. Also called thong leather.  rawhide.

3. Slang: Often Vulgar. penis.

---

whang ¹ British  

/ wæŋ /

verb

1. to strike or be struck so as to cause a resounding noise

---

noun

1. the resounding noise produced by a heavy blow

2. a heavy blow

whang ² British  

/ wæŋ /

noun

1. a leather thong

---

verb

1. (tr) to strike with or as if with a thong

Etymology

Origin of whang¹

First recorded in 1815–25; imitative

Origin of whang²

1530–40; originally Scots form of thwang, early form of thong ( whack, whittle ); sense “penis” perhaps an unrelated expressive word ( dong ³ )

Example Sentences

Around here the people seem content to settle for whatever scars life whangs them with as a decoration.

From Literature

Or an emptiness so sudden it leaves the girders whanging in the absence of wind, the sky milk-blue and astringent?

From Economist

They turned down Cannery Row and whanged a stone at the corrugated iron front of Morden’s Cannery.

From Literature

The sharp, pointed fragment hit a hollow tooth and whanged into the nerve.

From Literature

I will eat it the second day, but never, ever the third, and certainly not if it has anything resembling a whang.

From Time

Related Words

• bat
• batter
• beat
• belt
• blast
• kick
• knock
• knock out
• nail
• pop
• punch
• slap
• smack
• whack