gad

1 of 5

noun (1)

1
: a chisel or pointed iron or steel bar for loosening ore or rock
2
chiefly dialectal : a long stick

gad

2 of 5

verb

gadded; gadding

intransitive verb

: to be on the go without a specific aim or purpose
usually used with about

gad

3 of 5

interjection

used as a mild oath

Gad

4 of 5

noun (2)

: a son of Jacob and the traditional eponymous ancestor of one of the tribes of Israel
Gadite noun

GAD

5 of 5

abbreviation

Examples of gad in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Did Nordo’s screechingly daffy ex-wife (Opal Peachey), gadding about with an imaginary Chihuahua on a leash, off him with a butcher knife? Misha Berson, The Seattle Times, 23 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gad.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, "spike, goad, metal bar," borrowed from Old Norse gaddr "goad, spike," going back to Germanic *gazda- "stick, rod, goad" — more at yard entry 4

Verb

Middle English gadden, of obscure origin

Interjection

euphemism for God

Noun (2)

Hebrew Gādh

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1535, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Interjection

1608, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gad was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near gad

Cite this Entry

“Gad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gad. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gad

1 of 2 verb
gadded; gadding
: to be on the go without specific purpose
usually used with about
gadding about the city

gad

2 of 2 interjection
used as a mild oath

Medical Definition

GAD

abbreviation
generalized anxiety disorder

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