Definition of gang up

The origin of the phrase "gang up" can be traced back to the late 1800s in the United States. The term originally referred to a group of children or teenagers coming together to play a game or engage in an activity, such as forming a gang to play baseball or football. However, over time, the meaning of "gang up" evolved to describe a scenario where a group of people intentionally join forces to achieve a common goal or take actions against a specific individual or group. This negative connotation of "gang up" came from the rise of street gangs in urban areas during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The phrase "gang up" is derived from the word "gang," which originally referred to a group of sailors working together aboard a ship. This usage dates back to the 1700s and is thought to have been derived from the Scandinavian word "geng," which means "group" or "company." The addition of "up" to the term "gang" in "gang up" is believed to have derived from the Southern United States dialect, where speech patterns often feature the addition of "up" after verbs. In sum, the term "gang up" originated in the late 1800s in the United States, beginning as a term to describe children coming together for play, but evolved into a phrase used to describe a group acting with malicious intent. The phrase's origin can be traced back to sailors working in groups and the addition of "up" is thought to be derived from dialects spoken in the Southern United States.