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bang 1 (băng)
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n.
1. A sudden loud noise, as of an explosion.
2. A sudden loud blow or bump.
3. Informal A sudden burst of action: The campaign started off with a bang.
4. Slang A sense of excitement; a thrill: We got a bang out of watching the old movies.
v. banged, bang·ing, bangs
v. tr.
1. To strike heavily and often repeatedly; bump.
2. To close suddenly and loudly; slam.
3. To handle noisily or violently: banged the pots in the kitchen.
4. Informal To turn in (a specific direction or along a course), especially suddenly: bang a left onto Boylston Street.
5. Vulgar Slang To have sexual intercourse with.
v. intr.
1. To make a sudden loud, explosive noise.
2. To crash noisily against or into something: My elbow banged against the door.
adv.
1. Exactly; precisely: The arrow hit bang on the target.
2. Suddenly; abruptly: cut the conversation bang off.
interj.
Used to indicate the sound of an explosion or collision.
Phrasal Verbs:
bang away
1. To speak or ask questions in a rapid, aggressive manner: reporters banging away at the official during the press conference.
2. To work diligently and often at length: banged away at the project until it was finished.
bang up
To damage extensively: banged up the car.
Idiom:
bang for the (or one's)buck
Value returned for investment or effort.

[Probably from Old Norse bang, a hammering.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
bang 2 (băng)
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n.
often bangs A fringe of hair that hangs over the forehead, cut in any of various styles.
tr.v. banged, bang·ing, bangs
To cut (hair) to form bangs.

[From BANG1, abruptly, as in the phrase cut bang off, to cut off abruptly.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
bang 3 (băng)
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n.
Variant of bhang.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.