gad

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈgad 

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)

ˈgad 

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

Gadite

ˈga-ˌdīt 

noun

GAD

5 of 5

abbreviation

generalized anxiety disorder

Synonyms

Verb

• bat
• cruise
• drift
• float
• gallivant
• galavant
• kick around
• knock (about)
• maunder
• meander
• mooch
• ramble
• range
• roam
• rove
• traipse
• wander

Examples of gad in a Sentence

Verb

he gads about town every Saturday, flirting and gossiping with various shopkeepers and locals

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

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

Kids Definition

gad

1 of 2 verb

ˈgad 

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