gin

n. [ A contraction of engine. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Contrivance; artifice; a trap; a snare. Chaucer. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (a) A machine for raising or moving heavy weights, consisting of a tripod formed of poles united at the top, with a windlass, pulleys, ropes, etc. (b) (Mining) A hoisting drum, usually vertical; a whim. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A machine for separating the seeds from cotton; a cotton gin. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The name is also given to an instrument of torture worked with screws, and to a pump moved by rotary sails. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gin block, a simple form of tackle block, having one wheel, over which a rope runs; -- called also whip gin, rubbish pulley, and monkey wheel. --
Gin power, a form of horse power for driving a cotton gin. --
Gin race, or
Gin ring, the path of the horse when putting a gin in motion. Halliwell. --
Gin saw, a saw used in a cotton gin for drawing the fibers through the grid, leaving the seed in the hopper. --
Gin wheel. (a) In a cotton gin, a wheel for drawing the fiber through the grid; a brush wheel to clean away the lint. (b) (Mining) the drum of a whim. [ 1913 Webster ]

conj. [ See Gin, prep. ] If. [ Scotch ] Jamieson. [ 1913 Webster ]

prep. [ AS. geán. See Again. ] Against; near by; towards; as, gin night. [ Scot. ] A. Ross (1778). [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Gan Gon (g&obreve_;n), or Gun (gŭn); p. pr. & vb. n. Ginning. ] [ OE. ginnen, AS. ginnan (in comp.), prob. orig., to open, cut open, cf. OHG. inginnan to begin, open, cut open, and prob. akin to AS. gīnan to yawn, and E. yawn. √31. See Yawn, v. i., and cf. Begin. ] To begin; -- often followed by an infinitive without to; as, gan tell. See Gan. [ Obs. or Archaic ] “He gan to pray.” Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Contr. from Geneva. See 2d Geneva. ] A strong alcoholic liquor, distilled from rye and barley, and flavored with juniper berries; -- also called Hollands and Holland gin, because originally, and still very extensively, manufactured in Holland. Common gin is usually flavored with turpentine. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A tropical American tree (Melicocca bijuga) bearing a small edible fruit with green leathery skin and sweet juicy translucent pulp. [ Also spelled genip. ]
Syn. -- Spanish lime, Spanish lime tree, honey berry, mamoncillo, Melicocca bijuga, Melicoccus bijugatus. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. Same as Gang, n., 2. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

There is a knot, a ging, a pack, a conspiracy against me. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Jingal. [ 1913 Webster ]