Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
gong [gawng, gong] ExamplesWord Origin noun
- a large bronze disk, of Asian origin, having an upturned rim, that produces a vibrant, hollow tone when struck, usually with a stick or hammer that has a padded head.
- a shallow bell sounded by a hammer operated electrically or mechanically: The fire-alarm system will automatically sound the gong.
- (in a clock or watch) a rod or wire, either straight or bent into a spiral, on which the time is struck.
- British Slang. a medal or military decoration.
verb (used without object)
- to sound as a gong does; ring, chime, or reverberate.
Origin of gong 1800–10; Malay, Javanese: any suspended bossed and rimmed gong; presumably imitativeRelated formsgong·like, adjective Examples from the Web for gonged Historical Examples of gonged
He has just gonged, no doubt to order another buttered tea-cake!
H. G. Wells
British Dictionary definitions for gonged gong noun
- Also called: tam-tam a percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, consisting of a metal platelike disc struck with a soft-headed drumstick
- a rimmed metal disc, hollow metal hemisphere, or metal strip, tube, or wire that produces a note when struck. It may be used to give alarm signals when operated electromagnetically
- a fixed saucer-shaped bell, as on an alarm clock, struck by a mechanically operated hammer
- British slang a medal, esp a military one
verb
- (intr) to sound a gong
- (tr) (of traffic police) to summon (a driver) to stop by sounding a gong
Derived Formsgonglike, adjectiveWord Origin for gong C17: from Malay, of imitative origin Word Origin and History for gonged gong n.
c.1600, from Malay gong, probably imitative of its sound when struck. As a verb from 1903.