gam
gam — noun
1. a person's leg, used in old-fashioned or joking language; one of the two limbs t
a person's leg, used in old-fashioned or joking language; one of the two limbs that people stand and walk on, referred to in a playful or dated way
The old fisherman rubbed his sore gam after standing all day.
possessive adjective + gam (sore)
'Watch where you swing your gams,' the dance teacher called out.
plural form: gams
Grandpa complained that his gam was too weak for the long walk.
The children giggled when their uncle called his leg a gam.
文法句型
gam + [possessive adjective]
often humorous or old-fashioned
用法筆記
This sense is now very old-fashioned or used for humorous effect. A modern speaker would almost always say 'leg' instead.
常見錯誤
2. a friendly social visit or long conversation, especially between the crews of di
a friendly social visit or long conversation, especially between the crews of different ships when they meet at sea, and particularly among whaling vessels in the 19th century
The two whaling ships pulled alongside each other for a gam.
gam + for (purpose)
During the gam, the sailors exchanged maps and stories about storms.
during the gam
Captain Larsen held a gam with the crew of the passing brig.
After weeks alone at sea, a gam was a welcome break for all hands.
The lookout announced a ship on the horizon, and the men prepared for a gam.
- chat
general modern term for informal talk
- visit
focuses on the social call rather than the conversation itself
- conversation
more neutral and formal
文法句型
gam + between [ships/crews]
gam + with [person/crew]
hold/have a gam
用法筆記
This sense is historically tied to the 19th-century whaling industry and was famously used in Herman Melville's 'Moby-Dick'. You will rarely encounter it in modern speech except in historical novels or discussions of whaling.
常見錯誤
3. a group of whales that swim together; a herd or school of whales, especially as
a group of whales that swim together; a herd or school of whales, especially as seen from a ship
The lookout spotted a large gam of humpbacks near the coast.
gam of + species + location
The whalers chased a gam of sperm whales for three days.
Scientists counted forty-two animals in that single gam.
The fishing boat sailed right through a gam of feeding right whales.
A gam usually stays together while migrating or feeding.
文法句型
gam + of + [number] + whales
a gam of [type of whale]
用法筆記
Although this term belongs to whaling history, it is still used in some marine-biology writing alongside the more common 'pod'. 'Pod' is the standard modern word for a group of whales or dolphins.
常見錯誤
gam — verb
- gampresent simple I / you / we / they
- gams3rd person singular
- gamming-ing form
- gammedpast simple
1. to have a friendly talk or social visit with someone, especially between sailors
to have a friendly talk or social visit with someone, especially between sailors from different ships when they meet at sea — a practice common among 19th-century whalers
The two captains gammed for hours about currents and whale sightings.
gam + about + topic
Whenever ships met, the crews would gam and trade news from home.
would gam (habitual past)
The sailors gammed with the crew of a passing schooner until dusk.
After the storm, the fishermen gammed to share what they had seen.
The two ships gammed briefly before going their separate ways.
文法句型
gam + with [person]
gam + about [topic]
用法筆記
This verb is used without an object. You cannot 'gam someone' — you 'gam with' someone. It appears almost exclusively in historical writing about the whaling era.
常見錯誤
2. to spend a period of time in friendly conversation or chatting; to pass or fill
to spend a period of time in friendly conversation or chatting; to pass or fill time by talking
The old friends gammed away the afternoon on the porch.
gam away + [time period]
Aiko and Lin gammed the whole evening, not noticing how dark it had become.
gam + [time period] (no 'away')
The neighbors gammed the morning over coffee and fresh bread.
We gammed away several hours while waiting for the train.
The sisters gammed a quiet Sunday on the garden bench.
- chat away
modern equivalent; also takes a time period
- spend time talking
more formal and descriptive
- while away
similar meaning, but does not specify the activity
文法句型
gam + away + [time period]
gam + [time period]
用法筆記
This transitive sense takes a time period as its object ('gam the evening away'). The particle 'away' is common but optional. Distinguish from verb sense 1: here the focus is on using up time, not on meeting another ship.