Gin \Gin\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Gan, Gon (?), or Gun (?);
p. pr. & vb. n. Ginning.]
[OE. ginnen, AS. ginnan (in
comp.), prob. orig., to open, cut open, cf. OHG. inginnan to
begin, open, cut open, and prob. akin to AS. g[=i]nan to
yawn, and E. yawn. ? See Yawn, v. i., and cf. Begin.]
To begin; -- often followed by an infinitive without to; as,
gan tell. See Gan. [Obs. or Archaic] ``He gan to pray.''
--Chaucer.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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