back-ganging

adj, noun — 5 senses

back-ganging

adj

US, UK /ˈbækˌɡæŋɪŋ/

Etymology From back- + ganging (“going”), from gang (“to go, proceed; to walk”).

1

Northern England, Scotland Behind or late in payment or rent; in arrears.

Here he opened the fatal volume [a rental book]; I have heard of a thing they call Doomsday book—I am clear it has been a rental of back-ganging tenants.1824 June, [Walter Scott], “Letter XI. The Same to the Same [Darsie Latimer to Alan Fairford].”, in Redgauntlet, […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, page 239:

2

Northern England, Scotland Not in a good financial state; unprosperous.

3

Northern England, Scotland Not in good health; sickly, unhealthy.

Related terms: backgain

back-ganging

noun

Etymology From back- + ganging (“going”), from gang (“to go, proceed; to walk”).

1

Northern England, Scotland A going back; a returning; also, the way back.

2

Northern England, Scotland A deterioration, especially in circumstances or health; a relapse, a retrograde.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.