Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A man of humble condition; a fellow; a low fellow; originally (in Anglo-Saxon), a fellow, associate, or companion, in a good sense, but later used in reproach. Compare similar uses of fellow and companion.
  • noun A vagabond; one who gads about.
  • Given to gadding about; gadding.
  • noun Same as gad, 2.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Mediæval Armor) See gad, n., 4.
  • adjective obsolete Gadding about.
  • noun obsolete A roving vagabond.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun roving vagabond; one who roams
  • noun A man of humble condition; a fellow; a low fellow; lowborn; originally comrade or companion, in a good sense, but later used in reproach

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English gadling ("companion in arms; man, fellow; a person of low birth; rascal, scoundrel; bastard; base, lowborn"), from Old English gædeling ("kinsman, fellow, companion in arms, comrade"), itself from Old English gāda ("comrade, companion"). Equivalent to gad +‎ -ling.

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Examples

Comments

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  • gadling friend

    December 28, 2006