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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

2 entries under this word

Gad

Găd, n.

noun

n. [A-S. gād, a point of a weapon, a spear or arrow-head, sting, prick, Sw. gadd, sting, Icel. gaddr, club, Ir. gadh, arrow, ray, gada, a bar or ingot of any metal.]

  1. The point of a spear, or an arrow head. Shak.
  2. A point or wedge-shaped instrument of metal.

I will go get a leaf of brass. And with a gad of steel will write these words. Shak.

  1. A sharp-pointed rod, or pricking instrument; a goad.
  2. A steel spike on the knuckle of a gauntlet. See GADLING. Fairholt.
  3. A wedge or ingot of iron or steel.

Flemish steel is brought, . . . some in bars and some in gads. Moxon.

  1. (Mining.) A wedge of steel for driving into crevices or openings made by the pick. Ure.
  2. A rod or stick, as a fishing rod, a measuring-rod, or a rod used to drive cattle with. [Prov. Eng. and local, U. S.] Halliwell. Bartlett.

Upon the gad, upon the spur or impulse of the moment. [Obs.] “All this done upon the gad!” Shak.

Găd, v. i.

verbintransitive

[imp. & p. p. GADDED; p. pr. & vb. n. GADDING.] [Cf. Ir. gad, Gael. goid, to steal, pilfer, originally to rove, W. gadaw, to quit, leave, Russ. chod, a going or passing, choditi, to go, pass, march.] 1. To walk about; to rove or ramble idly, or without any fixed purpose. Envy is a gadding passion, and walketh the streets. Bacon. 2. To ramble in growth. “With . . . the gadding vine o’ergrown.” Milton.