What is "gin"

Gin \Gin\, prep. [AS. ge['a]n. See Again.] Against; near by; towards; as, gin night. [Scot.]
--A. Ross (1778).

Gin \Gin\, conj. [See Gin, prep.] If. [Scotch]
--Jamieson.

Gin \Gin\ (g[i^]n), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Gan (g[a^]n), Gon (g[o^]n), or Gun (g[u^]n); p. pr. & vb. n. Ginning.] [OE. ginnen, AS. ginnan (in comp.), prob. orig., to open, cut open, cf. OHG. inginnan to begin, open, cut open, and prob. akin to AS. g[=i]nan to yawn, and E. yawn. [root]31. See Yawn, v. i., and cf. Begin.] To begin; -- often followed by an infinitive without to; as, gan tell. See Gan. [Obs. or Archaic] ``He gan to pray.''
--Chaucer.

Gin \Gin\ (j[i^]n), n. [Contr. from Geneva. See 2d Geneva.] A strong alcoholic liquor, distilled from rye and barley, and flavored with juniper berries; -- also called Hollands and Holland gin, because originally, and still very extensively, manufactured in Holland. Common gin is usually flavored with turpentine.

Gin \Gin\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ginned; p. pr. & vb. n. Ginning.]

1. To catch in a trap. [Obs.]
   --Beau. & Fl.

2. To clear of seeds by a machine; as, to gin cotton.

Gin \Gin\, n. [A contraction of engine.]

1. Contrivance; artifice; a trap; a snare.
   --Chaucer. Spenser.

2. 1. A machine for raising or moving heavy weights, consisting of a tripod formed of poles united at the top, with a windlass, pulleys, ropes, etc.

   2. (Mining) A hoisting drum, usually vertical; a whim.

3. A machine for separating the seeds from cotton; a cotton gin. Note: The name is also given to an instrument of torture worked with screws, and to a pump moved by rotary sails. Gin block, a simple form of tackle block, having one wheel, over which a rope runs; -- called also whip gin, rubbish pulley, and monkey wheel. Gin power, a form of horse power for driving a cotton gin. Gin race, or Gin ring, the path of the horse when putting a gin in motion. --Halliwell. Gin saw, a saw used in a cotton gin for drawing the fibers through the grid, leaving the seed in the hopper. Gin wheel.

   1. In a cotton gin, a wheel for drawing the fiber through the grid; a brush wheel to clean away the lint.

   2. (Mining) the drum of a whim.

"type of distilled drinking alcohol," 1714, shortening of geneva, altered (by influence of the similarity of the name of the Swiss city, with which it has no other connection) from Dutch genever "juniper" (because the alcohol was flavored with its berries), from Old French genevre, from Vulgar Latin *jeniperus, from Latin juniperus "juniper" (see juniper). Gin and tonic attested by 1873; gin-sling by 1790. Card game gin rummy first attested 1941 (described in "Life" that year as the latest Hollywood fad).

"machine for separating cotton from seeds," 1796, American English, used earlier of various other machineries, from Middle English gin "ingenious device, contrivance" (c.1200), from Old French gin "machine, device, scheme," shortened form of engin, from Latin ingenium (see engine). The verb in this sense is recorded from 1789.

in slang phrase gin up "enliven, make more exciting," 1887, probably from earlier ginger up in same sense (1849), from ginger in sense of "spice, pizzazz;" specifically in reference to the treatment described in the 1811 slang dictionary under the entry for feague:\n\n... to put ginger up a horse's fundament, and formerly, as it is said, a live eel, to make him lively and carry his tail well; it is said, a forfeit is incurred by any horse-dealer's servant, who shall shew a horse without first feaguing him. Feague is used, figuratively, for encouraging or spiriting one up.\n

"to begin," c.1200, ginnen, shortened form of beginnen (see begin).

Etymology 1 n. 1 A colourless non-aged alcoholic liquor made by distilling fermented grains such as barley, corn, oats or rye with juniper berries; the base for many cocktails. 2 (context uncountable English) gin rummy 3 (context poker English) drawing the best card or combination of cards Etymology 2

n. 1 (context obsolete English) A trick; a device or instrument. 2 (context obsolete English) Contrivance; artifice; a trap; a snare. 3 A snare or trap for game. 4 A machine for raise or moving heavy objects, consisting of a tripod formed of poles united at the top, with a windlass, pulleys, ropes, etc. 5 (context mining English) A hoisting drum, usually vertical; a whim. 6 A pile driver. 7 A windpump. 8 A cotton gin. 9 An instrument of torture worked with screws. vb. 1 (context transitive English) To remove the seeds from cotton with a cotton gin. 2 (context transitive English) To trap something in a gin. 3 To invent (via Irish), see gin up Etymology 3

vb. (context archaic English) To begin. Etymology 4

n. (context Australia now considered offensive English) An Aboriginal woman.

1. n. strong liquor flavored with juniper berries

2. a trap for birds or small mammals; often has a noose [syn: snare, noose]

3. a machine that separates the seeds from raw cotton fibers [syn: cotton gin]

4. a form of rummy in which a player can go out if the cards remaining in their hand total less than 10 points [syn: gin rummy, knock rummy]

5. [also: ginning, ginned, gan]

1. v. separate the seeds from (cotton) with a cotton gin

2. trap with a snare; "gin game"

3. [also: ginning, ginned, gan]

Gin is a spirit which derives its predominant flavour from juniper berries (Juniperus communis). From its earliest origins in the Middle Ages, gin has evolved from a herbal medicine to an object of commerce in the spirits industry. Gin was developed on the basis of the older jenever, and became popular in Great Britain when William of Orange, leader of the Dutch Republic, occupied the English, Scottish and Irish thrones with his wife Mary. Gin is one of the broadest categories of spirits, represented by products of various origins, styles, and flavour profiles that all revolve around juniper as a common ingredient.

Gin is an alcoholic beverage flavoured with juniper berries.

Gin or Gins may also refer to:

Gin is the name of:

• Gin Chow (1857–1933), Chinese immigrant who gained fame in California as a prophet and fortune teller
• Gin Wigmore (born 1986), New Zealand singer songwriter
• Madeline Gins (1941–2014), American artist, architect, and poet
• Gin (Case Closed), a member of the Black Organization in Case Closed

Gin is the third album by the Black Metal band Cobalt. It was released by Profound Lore in 2009.