From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbangbang1 /bæŋ/ ●●○ S3 noun 1 [countable]CSOUND a sudden loud noise caused by something such as a gun or an object hitting a hard surface There was a loud bang outside the kitchen door.► see thesaurus at sound2 [countable]HIT a painful blow to the body when you hit against something or something hits you SYN bump a bang on the head3 → bangs4 → with a bang5 → (get) a bigger/better etc bang for your buck6 → get a bang out of something → big bang theory
Examples from the Corpus
bang• "I heard a bang and then I heard shots, " said Saxton, a tourist from Australia.• Small children are often frightrened of fireworks that make a bang.• The lid of the box fell shut with a bang.• I heard a loud bang - it sounded like something had fallen down upstairs.• There was a loud bang as the bomb exploded.• The firework went off with a loud bang.• The front door slammed with a loud bang.• If you can afford it, leather has a lot of bang for a lot of bucks.• He walked away from the accident with only a slight bang on the head.• He lay on the horn again; there was another, more violent bang.bangbang2 ●●○ S3 verb 1 KNOCK/HIT something[intransitive, transitive]CHIT to hit something hard, making a loud noisebang on Stop banging on the door!bang your fist/hand on something She banged her fist on the table. The baby kept banging the table with his spoon.► see thesaurus at hit2 KNOCK/HIT something[transitive]CHIT to put something down or against something with a lot of force, making a loud noisebang something down She banged the phone down.bang something on/against something He banged a teapot on the table.3 CLOSE something[intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive]SHUT/CLOSE to close something violently, making a loud noise, or to be closed in this way SYN slam I ran out, banging the door behind me. The window banged shut.4 HIT something[transitive]HIT/BUMP INTO to hit a part of your body, or something you are carrying, against something by accident SYN bumpbang something on something I fell and banged my head on the pavement.5 MAKE NOISE[intransitive]CSOUND to make a loud noise or loud noises The gate keeps banging in the wind.6 HAVE SEX[transitive] not politeSEX/HAVE SEX WITH to have sex with someone → bang the drum for somebody/something at drum1(4), → bang somebody’s heads together at head1(32), → be (like) banging your head against a brick wall at head1(31) → bang about/around → bang on → bang something ↔ out → bang somebody/something ↔ up→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
bang• I banged at the door but nobody came.• They were banging drums and chanting.• Thomas banged his fist on the table.• He banged his head against the floor.• In so doing, I banged into the edge of the sink and fell to the floor.• During the day I sit banging my drum and watching good actors singing my words.• I banged my toe on the door.• He complained loudly until Val finally banged on the table and shouted at him.• Sherman banged the door shut.• He got out of the car and banged the door.• I slipped and banged the guitar against the door.• There's no clutch pedal, you just bang the lever into forward and floor it.• She banged the phone down a second before he did, leaving him raging.• I banged the phone down.• She pulled the doll out before the blocks banged together.• The pipes bang when you turn the hot water on.bang on• Laramie was banging on the wall and yelling.banged shut• The screen door banged shut.• This time the car stopped and a door banged shut.• The office door banged shut and the Monsignor groaned.• The door banged shut behind Becky.• Beloved heard them as soon as the door banged shut behind her.• Children's voices, objects being hurled about schoolroom, books banged shut, games of chase, etc.• The door banged shut, its echoes punctuated by the sound of bolts being slammed home.bangbang3 adverb 1 informalEXACT directly or exactly The train arrived bang on time. The technology is bang up to date.► see thesaurus at exactly2 → bang on3 → bang goes something4 spokenVIOLENT in a sudden violent way I skidded and went bang into the wall.5 → go bangExamples from the Corpus
bang• He goes in, the door knocks against the tray, bang go the fifteen cups and they all get broken!• Results this month were bang in line with expectations.• He landed bang in the middle of the roof, and it collapsed.• They've put an ornamental fountain slap bang in the middle of the roundabout.• The arrow hit the target right bang in the middle.• I lost my balance and fell, bang, on my back on the ice.• It starts at eight, bang on the dot.• The eraser hit him bang on the top of his head.• But the design has been brought bang up-to-date to strike a chord with modern riders and classic buffs alike.bangbang4 interjection CSOUNDused to make a sound like a gun or bomb Bang bang, you’re dead!Examples from the Corpus
bang• ``Bang, bang - you're dead, '' Tommy shouted.Origin bang2 (1500-1600) Probably from a Scandinavian language 