n. [ OE. gad, Icel. gaddr goad, sting; akin to Sw. gadd sting, Goth. gazds, G. gerte switch. See Yard a measure. ]
I will go get a leaf of brass,
And with a gad of steel will write these words. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]
Flemish steel . . . some in bars and some in gads. Moxon. [ 1913 Webster ]
Upon the gad,
v. i.
Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? Jer. ii. 36. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. A gadder [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
n. (Zool.) The gadfly. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. One who roves about idly, a rambling gossip. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. & n. Going about much, needlessly or without purpose. [ 1913 Webster ]
Envy is a gadding passion, and walketh the streets. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]
The good nuns would check her gadding tongue. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]
Gadding car,
adv. In a roving, idle manner. [ 1913 Webster ]
a. Disposed to gad. --
n. [ Cf. Cod the fish. ] (Zool.)
n.;
☞ The sheep
Gadfly petrel (Zool.),