Meanings
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1
intj
dated: a mild exclamation of surprise, emphasis, or impatience, used as a euphemism for God
Gad, that was a close escape!
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2
verb
to go from place to place in a restless or frivolous search for amusement
They spent the afternoon gadding about the shops instead of working.
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3
noun
a pointed metal spike or goad, including one used to urge an animal forward
The handler carried a short gad for driving the reluctant ox.
Thesaurus
Etymology
The exclamation is a euphemistic alteration of God. The noun for a pointed spike descends through Middle English from an Old Norse word meaning spike, while the wandering verb is historically associated with roaming about; the modern spelling brings these distinct histories together.