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English
Etymology
1570, of imitative origin.
Compare also Saterland Frisian Kloang, West Frisian klank, Dutch klank, German Klang (from German klingen), Danish and Swedish klang, Latin clangere (“to resound”) (which probably influenced it).
Pronunciation
Noun
clang (plural clangs)
- A loud, ringing sound, like that made by free-hanging metal objects striking each other; usually, one considered more jarring than melodious.
- Hypernyms: ring < noise < sound
- Coordinate terms: bang, clunk
- Quality of tone. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
- The cry of some birds, including the crane and the goose.
- (psychology, psychiatry) A word or phrase linked only by sound and not by meaning, characteristic of some mental disorders.
1973, Oliver Sacks, Awakenings:For much of this day, Mrs Y. wrote in her diary, covering page after page in a rapid scrawl full of paligraphic repetitions, puns, clangs, and violent, perseverative crossings-out […]
- (music) Alternative form of klang.
Translations
Verb
clang (third-person singular simple present clangs, present participle clanging, simple past and past participle clanged)
- (transitive) To strike (objects) together so as to produce a clang.
a. 1722 (date written), Matthew Prior, “The First Hymn of Callimachus. To Jupiter.”, in The Poetical Works of Matthew Prior […], Edinburgh: James Nichol, […], published 1858, →OCLC, page 207, lines 58–60:Around, the first Curetes (order solemn / To thy foreknowing mother!) trod tumultuous / Their mystic dance, and clanged their sounding arms; [...]
2020, “Zoo”, in Still at the Rough Cusp of Renaissance, performed by Good Fuck:A dented metal punching bag waiting to be clanged; a solitary object in the rhino's cage.
- (intransitive) To give out a clang; to resound.
2015 May 25, Daniel Taylor, “Norwich reach Premier League after early blitz sees off Middlesbrough”, in The Guardian[1], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 17 October 2026:Middlesbrough will wonder whether it might have been different if the volley that Jelle Vossen slashed towards John Ruddy’s net after nine minutes had been a couple inches lower rather than clanging off the crossbar. They should not dwell on that moment too long, however.
1933, Norvell Page, Wings of the Black Death:A cell door clanged metallically and Wentworth was flung inside. He tripped, collapsed upon the concrete floor.
1917, Rose Wilder Lane, Henry Ford’s Own Story:Then the sparks flew from the anvil while the great hammer clanged on the metal, shaping it, and Henry begged to be allowed to try it
- (psychology, psychiatry) To utter a word or phrase linked only by sound and not by meaning, characteristic of some mental disorders.
Derived terms
Translations
transitive: strike (objects) together to produce a clang intransitive: give out a clang Interjection
clang
- Imitative of a loud metallic ringing sound.
- (humorous) Said after someone has name-dropped (mentioned a famous person with whom they are acquainted).
Old English
Pronunciation
Verb
clang
- first/third-person singular preterite indicative of clingan
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