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chain gang
noun
plural chain gangs
: a group of people (such as convicts) chained together especially as an outside working party
Examples of chain gang in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Inmates are sentenced to time behind bars, not forced labor, a vestige of chain gangs and slavery.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024
In a chain gang sequence, Robeson is shot from low angle, full frame, head-to-toe, bare-chested, in striped pants, in leg irons, hammering rocks with a sledgehammer, radiating an energy that cannot be shackled.
—Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Oct. 2024
The league likes the drama of a chain gang stretching to measure for that first down.
—Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2023
Jim Harbaugh meanwhile was on the sidelines at a youth football game in the chain gang.
—Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press, 9 Sep. 2023
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Word History
First Known Use
1813, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near chain gang
Cite this Entry
“Chain gang.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chain%20gang. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Legal Definition
chain gang
noun
: a group of convicts chained together especially to work outside a prison
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