Obs. exc. dial. Forms: 1 wange, wænge, wenge, wonge, 3–5 wong(e, 4–6 wang(e, (4 woong, 5 wangge, waynge, vange, 7 wongge, 9 dial. whang), 7– dial. wang. [OE. wang, str. masc., wange, wk. neut., corresp. to OS. wanga fem., MDu. wange (mod.Du. wang fem.), MLG. wange neut., fem., OHG. wanga neut. (MHG. wange neut., mod.G. wange fem.), ON. vange wk. masc. (Norw. vange; Da. vanger pl. ‘cheeks’ of a press), Goth. *waggō, ? fem. or neut. (whence waggareis pillow = OE. wangere):—OTeut. *waŋgon-, -ōn-. The further etymology is obscure; some regard the word as cogn. w. OE. wang field, WONG.]

1

  † 1.  The cheek. Obs.

2

c. 975.  Rushw. Gosp., Matt. v. 39. ʓif hwa ðec slae on ðæt swiðran wonge vel ceke þin.

3

c. 1000.  Ælfric, Saints’ Lives, xxiii B. 556. Þonne astrehte ic me sylfe on eorðan and þa wangas mid tearum oferʓeat.

4

c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., II. 20. Smyre mid þy þæt wenge.

5

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 18308. Adan fell dun for-wit his fete And spak til him, wit wonges wete.

6

a. 1310.  in Wright, Lyric P., vi. 28. Nihtes when y wende ant wake, for-thi myn wonges waxeth won.

7

c. 1320.  Sir Tristr., 732. Þe king biheld þat old, Hou his wonges were wete.

8

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., V. ix. 1968. Quhill wepyt, quhill scho wongys wete.

9

c. 1440.  York Myst., x. 275. Thy wordis makis me my wangges to wete.

10

  2.  A molar tooth: = WANG-TOOTH.

11

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Reeve’s T., 110. Swa werkes ay the wanges in his heed.

12

1901.  F. E. Taylor, Folk Sp. S. Lanc. (E.D.D.), Wang, a tooth; gen. a back tooth.

13