An alternative spelling of 'gin,' a colorless alcoholic spirit flavored with juniper berries, or a mechanical trap or snare.
From Dutch 'jenever' (juniper), which became 'gin' in English. The spelling 'ginn' with double-n appears in Middle English texts as a variant. Over time, the single-n spelling became standard, though historical texts preserve both forms.
The word 'gin' has two completely different origins that collided in English: the spirit comes from Dutch, while gin traps come from 'engine'—yet they share the same spelling! This is why old texts sometimes used 'ginn' to distinguish meanings, though English eventually decided one spelling would do.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.