Dictionary

gar en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ɡɑɹ/ (General-American)
• /ɡɑː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Clipping of garfish, from Middle English gare + fish.

Meanings

1. (Canada, US, especially) Any of several North American fish of the family Lepisosteidae that have long, narrow jaws.
   • Gars are long, slender, predatory fishes of quiet waters east of the Rockies. 1967, George K. Reid, edited by Herbert S. Zim and George S. Fichter, Pond Life, New York: Golden Press, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 128:
   • A great gar plunged with a loud splash into the water hole. 1907, O. Henry, The Princess and the Puma, pages 266–275:
2. (Ireland, UK, especially) A garfish, Belone belone.

Forms

Deriveds

freshwater gar (Xenentodon cancila · Cuban gar · shortnose gar · Malawi gar · broadhead gar · spotted gar · alligator gar · garfish · gator gar · garpike · Florida gar · silver gar · ocean gar · longnose gar · needle-nose gar · king gar · tropical gar · slender gar

Translations (15)

pt agulha (the European fish Belone belone) · pt gar (a North or Central American fish of the family Lepisosteidae) · pl niszczuka (a North or Central American fish of the family Lepisosteidae) · ru сарга́н (the European fish Belone belone) · pl belona pospolita (the European fish Belone belone) · pl belona (the European fish Belone belone) · ru па́нцирная щу́ка (a North or Central American fish of the family Lepisosteidae) · pl łuskost (a North or Central American fish of the family Lepisosteidae) · de Knochenhecht (a North or Central American fish of the family Lepisosteidae) · pt peixe-agulha (the European fish Belone belone) · ru па́нцирник (a North or Central American fish of the family Lepisosteidae) · el ζαργάνα (the European fish Belone belone) · pt peixe-lagarto (a North or Central American fish of the family Lepisosteidae) · fi luuhauki (a North or Central American fish of the family Lepisosteidae) · hu kajmánhal (a North or Central American fish of the family Lepisosteidae)

gar en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ɡɑɹ/ (General-American)
• /ɡɑː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English garren, gerren, from Old Norse gera, gerva (Swedish göra, Danish gøre), from Proto-Germanic *garwijaną. Compare yare; but also Old Cornish gorra (“put, place, set”).

Meanings

1. (UK, dialectal) To make, compel (someone to do something); to cause (something to be done).
   • I shall firste begyn at Sandwyche, and there I shall go in my shearte, barefoote, and at every ten myles ende I shall founde and gar make an house of religious, of what order that ye woll assygne me [...]. 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XX:
   • Farewell to pleasant Dilston Hall, / My father's ancient seat, / A stranger now must call thee his, / Which gars my heart to greet. [...]. 1807, Robert Surtees, Derwentwater's Farewell, Verse 1:
   • Time gars me tremble. Ah, how sore the baulk! / While Time in pride of strength cloth ever stalk [...]. 1885, Sir Richard Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Night 15:

Forms

Relateds

by gar · atgar