gang up

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

gang up verb

1. often followed by on or against: to combine in a group (against)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

gang¹ /gæŋ/   n. [countable]

1. a group or band:
   a gang of sightseers.
2. a group of youngsters who associate closely with each other, esp. such a group engaging in antisocial behavior:
   street gangs.
3. a group of persons associated for some criminal purpose:
   terrorist gangs.
4. a group of people with similar tastes or interests:
   throwing a party for the gang I bowl with.
5. a group of persons working together:
   a gang of laborers.

v. 

6. gang up:
   • [~ + on/against + object] to combine against:
     Her three brothers were always ganging up on her.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

gang-up  (gang′up′), n. 

1. an act of ganging up or uniting in opposition to someone or something.

• noun, nominal use of verb, verbal phrase gang up (on) 1935–40

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

gang¹  (gang), n. 

1. a group or band:
   A gang of boys gathered around the winning pitcher.
2. a group of youngsters or adolescents who associate closely, often exclusively, for social reasons, esp. such a group engaging in delinquent behavior.
3. a group of people with compatible tastes or mutual interests who gather together for social reasons:
   I'm throwing a party for the gang I bowl with.
4. a group of persons working together;
   squad;
   shift:
   a gang of laborers.
5. a group of persons associated for some criminal or other antisocial purpose:
   a gang of thieves.
6. a set of tools, electronic components or circuits, oars, etc., arranged to work together or simultaneously.
7. a group of identical or related items.

v.t. 

8. to arrange in groups or sets;
   form into a gang:
   to gang illustrations for more economical printing on one sheet.
9. to attack in a gang.

v.i. 

10. to form or act as a gang:
    Cutthroats who gang together hang together.
11. gang up on, [Informal.] (of a number of persons) to unite in opposition to (a person);
    combine against:
    The bigger boys ganged up on the smaller ones in the schoolyard.

• 1300–50; Middle English; Old English gang, gong manner of going, way, passage; cognate with Old High German gang, Old Norse gangr, Gothic gagg; compare gang²

Synonyms

• 1. company, crowd, crew; party, set, clique, coterie.
• 4. team.

gang²  (gang), v.i. [Chiefly Scot. and North Eng.]

1. Scottish Terms to walk or go.

• bef. 900; Middle English gangen, Old English gangan, gongan; cognate with Old High German gangan, Old Norse ganga, Gothic gaggan; compare gang¹, noun, nominal derivative from same base