Gong

[gawng, gong] /gɔŋ, gɒŋ/

noun
1.
a large bronze disk, of Asian origin, having an upturned rim, that produces a vibrant, hollow tone when struck, usually with a stick or hammer that has a padded head.
2.
a shallow bell sounded by a hammer operated electrically or mechanically:
The fire-alarm system will automatically sound the gong.
3.
(in a clock or watch) a rod or wire, either straight or bent into a spiral, on which the time is struck.
4.
British Slang. a medal or military decoration.
verb (used without object)
5.
to sound as a gong does; ring, chime, or reverberate.
/ɡɒŋ/
noun
1.
Also called tam-tam. a percussion instrument of indefinite pitch, consisting of a metal platelike disc struck with a soft-headed drumstick
2.
a rimmed metal disc, hollow metal hemisphere, or metal strip, tube, or wire that produces a note when struck. It may be used to give alarm signals when operated electromagnetically
3.
a fixed saucer-shaped bell, as on an alarm clock, struck by a mechanically operated hammer
4.
(Brit, slang) a medal, esp a military one
verb
5.
(intransitive) to sound a gong
6.
(transitive) (of traffic police) to summon (a driver) to stop by sounding a gong
n.

c.1600, from Malay gong, probably imitative of its sound when struck. As a verb from 1903.

noun

[both senses probably fr gong, ”saucer-shaped metal bell,” of Malayan origin; the sense ”opium pipe” may be related to the general association of gongs with Chinese matters, and the military sense to the notion that a decoration is something like the ceremonial sounding of a gong]