Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A strut inserted between the timbers of a floor to stiffen them.

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

  • noun (Carp.) A piece of wood set between two studs, posts, etc., to stiffen and support them.
  • noun A kind of crowbar.
  • noun A large wrench.

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

  • noun Scotland, New Zealand A horizontal timber (or steel) section used in the construction of a building.
  • noun A large metal crowbar.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Dutch dwang.

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Examples

  • All she has to do is cooperate with her friends and not drop them in the dwang.

    Think Progress » The Child Custody Protection Act 2006

  • It's a mystery to me, an 'a dreefu' dwang to Bawbie.

    My Man Sandy J. B. Salmond

  • "But that wud juist be a dwang to the lassies, syne," answered Bandy.

    My Man Sandy J. B. Salmond

  • I'm shure I'm no complainin ', but Sandy Bowden's been an unsatisfaktory man in mony weys; but, as the Bible says, we've a' a dwang o 'some kind, an' if I hadna gotten Sandy, weel, I michta haen a drucken son, or a licht-heided dauchter.

    My Man Sandy J. B. Salmond

  • They just help you keep going when other family cars are in the dwang.

    Motoring 2010

  • It seems the rejection by workers of an offer that some say is a decent one in a tough economic climate and from a company that is in financial dwang is the culmination of the utility's inability - or unwillingness - to deal with issues.

    IOL: News 2010

  • Ok, so because the fools in the ANC gave these cushy jobs to their incompetent pals, I now have to pay 3x the price for electricity to bale Eskom out of the dwang!

    Guardian Online 2010

  • Ok, so because the fools in the ANC gave these cushy jobs to their incompetent pals, I now have to pay 3x the price for electricity to bale Eskom out of the dwang!

    Guardian Online 2010

  • Which is fine but then the bank will only give you a mortgage for how much it values the house at - leaving you in the dwang for at least another 100000 shekels or maybe more.

    English-writing Israeli-bloggers 2008

  • Jeremy Clarkson is in the dwang, as Labour MP, Chris Mole has called for the BBC to sack the popular

    2oceansvibe.com - Work is a sideline, live the holiday. Cape Town Lifestyle. 2008

Comments

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  • A short, horizontal piece of timber inserted as a reinforcement between joists, struts, and the like.

    December 3, 2007