# clang
## English
### Etymology

1570, of imitative origin; Compare also Saterland Frisian Kloang, West Frisian klank, Dutch klank, German Klang (from klingen), Danish and Swedish klang, Latin clangere.

### Pronunciation

* enPR: klăng, IPA: /klæŋ/
** Audio (Southern England):(file)
* Audio (US):(file)
* Rhymes: -æŋ

### Noun

clang (plural clangs)
* A loud, ringing sound, like that made by free-hanging metal objects striking each other.
** 1969, Paul McCartney (lyrics and music), “Maxwell's Silver Hammer”, in Abbey Road, performed by The Beatles:Bang, bang, Maxwell's silver hammer Came down upon her head Clang, clang, Maxwell's silver hammer Made sure that she was dead
* Quality of tone.
* 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 (London)‎: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.
** 1920, Edith Wharton, chapter XXIX, in The Age of Innocence‎:The clanging and groaning of the train came nearer, and it staggered slowly into the station like a prey- laden monster into its lair.
** 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

* aclang
* clanger
* clanging
* clangous
* clangy
* reclang

#### Translations
### 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

* IPA: /klɑnɡ/, [klɑŋɡ]

### Verb

clang
* first/third-person singular preterite indicative of clingan