Phrase guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
No pronunciation record was provided for this word.
noun
A group of workers who fed the furnaces of a coal-powered steamship or other vessel.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see black, gang. (i.e. one with racially black members)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A propaganda term used by Mao Zedong against his opponents.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: derogatory, historical
Topics: government, politics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
From black + gang.
Borrowed from Chinese 黑幫 /黑帮 (hēibāng, “gangsters, gang”). The first character, 黑, translates as "black" on its own.
