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Pang

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pang¹

  • /ˈpæŋ/
  • [ˈpʰæŋ]
  • /ˈpeɪ̯ŋ/ Canada, US
  • [ˈpʰeɪ̯ŋ] Canada, US
  • /ˈpɛ̃ŋ/ Canada, US
  • [ˈpʰɛ̃ŋ] Canada, US

Rhymes with -æŋ

Where it comes from

The origin of the noun is uncertain; it is possibly derived from Middle English *pange, perhaps an altered form of prange, prōnge (“affliction, agony, pain; pointed instrument”) as in prongys of deth (“pangs of death, death throes”), from Anglo-Latin pronga, of unknown origin. Perhaps connected with Middle Dutch prange, pranghe (“instrument for pinching”) (modern Dutch prang (“horse restraint; fetter, neck iron”)), Middle Low German prange (“pole, stake; (possibly) kind of pillory or stocks”), Old English pyngan (“to prick”). The word may thus be related to prong.

The verb is derived from the noun.

noun pangs

  1. in plural, often A paroxysm of extreme physical pain or anguish; a feeling of sudden and transitory agony; a throe. War[wick]. See how the pangs of death do make him grin. / Sal[isbury]. Diſturbe him not, let him paſſe peaceably.
  2. in plural, often A sudden sharp feeling of an emotional or mental nature, as of joy or sorrow. He had not gone far, when coming on towards him he beheld the portly gentleman, who had walked into his counting-house the day before, and said, "Scrooge and Marley's, I believe?" It sent a pang across his heart to think how this old gentleman would look upon him when they met; but he knew what path

Similar: stab, twinge

verb pangs · panging · panged

  1. transitive To cause to have great pain or suffering; to torment, to torture. Yet if that quarrell, Fortune, to diuorce / It from the bearer, 'tis a ſufferance, panging / As ſoule and bodies ſeuering.

pang²

verb

  1. nonstandard, past simple past of ping

Pang³

Where it comes from

From:

* various Chinese surnames, including Mandarin 龐 /庞 (páng), Cantonese 彭 (paang⁴) and Hokkien 馮 /冯 (pâng)

* Khmer បាង (baang).

proper noun Pangs

  1. A surname from Chinese.
  2. A surname from Khmer.

Pang⁴

Where it comes from

The name of the river is a back-formation from Pangbourne.

proper noun

  1. A minor river in Berkshire, England, which flows into the Thames at Pangbourne.

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