Fang (?), v. t. [OE. fangen, fongen, fon (g orig. only in p.p. and imp. tense), AS. fn; akin to D. vangen, OHG. fahan, G. fahen, fangen, Isel. fa, Sw. f, fnga, Dan. fange, faae, Goth. fahan, and prob. to E. fair, peace, pact. Cf. Fair, a.]
1.
To catch; to seize, as with the teeth; to lay hold of; to gripe; to clutch.
[Obs.]
Shak.
He's in the law's clutches; you see he's fanged.
J. Webster.
2.
To enable to catch or tear; to furnish with fangs.
"Chariots
fanged with scythes."
Philips.
© Webster 1913.
Fang, n. [From Fang, v. t.; cf. AS. fang a taking, booty, G. fang.]
1. Zool.
The tusk of an animal, by which the prey is seized and held or torn; a long pointed tooth; esp., one of the usually erectile, venomous teeth of serpents. Also, one of the falcers of a spider.
Since I am a dog, beware my fangs.
Shak.
2.
Any shoot or other thing by which hold is taken.
The protuberant fangs of the yucca.
Evelyn.
3. Anat.
The root, or one of the branches of the root, of a tooth. See Tooth.
4. Mining
A niche in the side of an adit or shaft, for an air course.
Knight.
5. Mech.
A projecting tooth or prong, as in a part of a lock, or the plate of a belt clamp, or the end of a tool, as a chisel, where it enters the handle.
6. Naut. (a)
The valve of a pump box.
(b)
A bend or loop of a rope.
In a fang, fast entangled. -- To lose the fang, said of a pump when the water has gone out; hence: To fang a pump, to supply it with the water necessary to make it operate. [Scot.]
© Webster 1913.