G
Gabari, m. (popular), passer au ——, to lose a game.
Gabarit, m. (sailors’), body; breast; —— sans bossoirs, breast with thin bosoms.
J’aime pas bien son gabarit sans bossoirs. Elle a plutôt l’air d’un moussaillon que d’autre chose.—Richepin, La Glu.
Gabelou, m. (common), a custom-house officer, or one of the “octroi.”
Bras Rouge est contrebandier ... il s’en vante au nez des gabelous.—E. Sue, Les Mystères de Paris.
Gâcher (popular), serré, to work hard, “to sweat;” —— du gros, to ease oneself.
Gadin, m. (popular), cork; shabby hat. Flancher au ——, to play a gambling kind of game with a cork and coins. Some halfpence being placed on the cork, the players aim in turns with a coin. A favourite game of Paris cads.
Gadouard, m. (popular), scavenger, a “rake-kennel.” From gadoue, street refuse or mud.
Gadoue, f. (familiar and popular), prostitute. Properly street mud or refuse.
File, mon fiston, roule ta gadoue, mon homme, ça pue.—Catéchisme Poissard.
The slang terms for the different varieties of prostitutes are, in familiar and popular language: “cocotte, demi-mondaine, horizontale, verticale, agenouillée, déhanchée impure, petite dame, lorette, camélia, boulevardière, pêche à quinze sous, belle petite, soupeuse, grue, lolo, biche, vieille garde (old prostitute), fille de trottoir, gueuse, maquillée, ningle, pélican, pailletée, laqueuse, chameau, membre de la caravane, demi-castor, passe-lacet, demoiselle du Pont-Neuf, matelas ambulant, boulonnaise (one who plies her trade in the Bois de Boulogne), crevette, trumeau, traîneuse, fenêtrière, trychine, cul crotté, omnibus, carcan à crinoline, pieuvre, pigeon voyageur, piqueuse de trains, marcheuse, morue, fleur de macadam, vache à lait, camelote, roulante, raccrocheuse, génisse, almanach des trente-six mille adresses, chausson, hirondelle de goguenot, moelonneuse, mal peignée, persilleuse, lard, blanchisseuse en chemises, planche à boudin, galvaudeuse, poule, mouquette, poupée, fille de tourneur, fille de maison or à numéro, boutonnière en pantalons, fille en carte or en brème, lésébombe, baleine, traînée, demoiselle du bitume, vessie, boule rouge (one who walks the Faubourg Montmartre), voirie, rivette, fille à parties, terrière, terreuse, femme de terrain, rempardeuse, grenier à coups de sabre, saucisse, peau, peau de chien, vésuvienne, autel de besoin, cité d’amour, mangeuse de viande crue, dessalée, punaise, polisseuse de mâts de cocagne en chambre, pompe funèbre, polisseuse de tuyaux de pipe, pontonnière, pont d’Avignon, veau, vache, blanc, feuille, lanterne, magneuse, lipète, chamègue, bourdon, pierreuse, marneuse, paillasse de corps de garde, paillasse à troufion, rouleuse, dossière, fille de barrière, roulure, andre (old word), Jeanneton, taupe, limace, waggon, retapeuse, sommier de caserne, femme de cavoisi, prat, sauterelle, tapeuse de tal, magnée, torchon.” The bullies of unfortunates call them “marmite, fesse, ouvrière, Louis, ponife, galupe, laisée.” Thieves give them the appellations of “lutainpem, môme, ponante, calège, panuche, asticot, bourre de soie, panturne, rutière, ronfle, goipeuse, casserole, magnuce, larguèpe, larque, menesse, louille.” In the English slang they are termed: “anonyma, pretty horse-breaker, demi-rep, tartlet, mot, common Jack, bunter, trollop, bed-fagot, shake, poll, dollymop, blowen, bulker, gay woman, unfortunate, barrack-hack, dress lodger, bawdy basket, mauks, and quædam” (obsolete), &c.
Gaffe, m. and f. (thieves’), sentry; thief on the watch, or “crow;” prison warder, or “bloke.”
Les gaffes (gardiens) ont la vie dure. Ils tiennent sur leurs pattes comme des chats ... si je l’ai manqué, je ne me suis pas manqué, moi, je suis sûr d’aller à la butte.—Mémoires de Monsieur Claude.
Gaffe à gail, mounted police; —— de sorgue, night watchman; —— des machabées, cemetery watchman. Etre en ——, faire ——, to be on the watch, “to dick.”
Riboulet et moi, nous étions restés en gaffe afin de donner l’éveil en cas d’alerte.—Vidocq.
Grivier de ——, soldier of the watch. (Popular) Gaffe, f., joke; deceit; tongue, or “red rag.” Avaler sa ——, to die, “to snuff it.” See Pipe. Coup de ——, loud talking, “jawing.” Monter une ——, to play a trick; to deceive, “to bamboozle,” “to pull the leg.” (Familiar) Faire une ——, to take an inconsiderate step; to make an awkward mistake, “to put one’s foot in it.”
Gaffer (thieves’), to watch, “to dick;” to look, “to pipe;” —— la mirette, to keep a sharp look-out. Gaffe les péniches du gonse, look at that man’s shoes. Gaffer, to cause to stand; to stop.
Il fallait faire gaffer un roulant pour y planquer les paccins (il fallait faire stationner un fiacre pour y placer les paquets).—Vidocq.
Gaffeur, m. (thieves’), man on the watch.
Gaffier, m. (thieves’), pickpocket who operates at markets; warder in a prison or convict settlement, a “screw.”
Gaffiner (thieves’ and cads’), to look at, “to pipe.” Gaffine lago, la riflette t’exhibe, look there, the policeman is watching you, or, in other words, “pipe there, the bulky is dicking.”
Gafiler (thieves’), to listen attentively.
Gaga, m. (familiar), man who, through a life of debauchery, has become almost an imbecile.
Gagnie, f. (popular), buxom lady.
Gahisto, m. (thieves’), the devil, “ruffin,” or “darble.” From the Basque giztoa, bad, wicked, according to V. Hugo.
Gai, adj. (popular), être ——, to be slightly tipsy, or “elevated.” See Pompette. Avoir la cuisse gaie is said of a woman of lax morality who is lavish of her favours.
Gail, galier, m. (thieves’), horse, “prad.” Vol au ——, horse stealing, or “prad napping.” Gaillard à trois brins, m. (sailors’), able sailor; old tar.
Gaillon, m. (popular and thieves’), horse, “prad, nag, or tit.”
Gailloterie, f. (popular), stable.
Gaimar (popular), gaily; willingly. Allons y ——, let us look alive; with a will!
Galapiat, galapian, galopiau, m. (popular), lazy fellow, or “bummer;” street boy.
Quelle rigolade pour les gamins! Et l’un de ces galapiats qui a peut-être servi chez des saltimbanques, chipe un clairon et souffle dedans un air de foire.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Galbe, m. (familiar), elegance, dash. Etre truffé de ——, to be extremely elegant, dashing, or “tsing tsing.” Galbe, literally elegance in the curve of vases, pillars.
Galbeux, adj. (familiar), elegant, dashing, “tsing tsing.”
Galerie, f. (familiar), faire ——, to be one of a number of lookers-on. Parler pour la ——, to address to a person words meant in reality for the ears of others, or for the public.
Galette, f. (popular), money, “tin.” For synonyms see Quibus. Boulotter de la ——, to spend money. (Military school of Saint-Cyr) Promenade ——, general marching out. Sortie ——, general holiday.
Galeux, m. (popular), the master, or “boss.” Properly one who has the itch.
Galfâtre, m. (popular), idiot; greedy fellow.
Certes il n’aimait pas les corbeaux, ça lui crevait le cœur de porter ses six francs à ces galfâtres-là qui n’en avaient pas besoin pour se tenir le gosier frais.—Zola, L’Assommoir.
Galier, m. (thieves’), horse, or “prad.”
Galière, f. (thieves’), mare.
Galifard, m. (popular), shoemaker, or “snob;” errand boy; (thieves’) one who is not yet an adept in the art of thieving.
Galifarde, f. (popular), shop-girl.
Galimard, m. (artists’), se touche! The expression is used in reference to a brother artist who extols his own self or own productions. For the following explanation I am indebted to Mr. G. D., a French artist well known to the English public:—“Galimard se touche, phrase que vous avez lue probablement dans tous les Rambuteau de Paris, a pris origine dans notre atelier Cogniet. Galimard, un artiste de quelque talent, mais qui se croyait un génie, trouvant qu’on ne s’occupait pas assez de lui, écrivit sur le salon des articles fort bien faits mais par trop sévères pour les confrères. Il avait mis au bas un pseudonyme quelconque. Arrivé au tour de sa fameuse Léda, il ne tarissait pas d’éloges sur cette peinture vraiment médiocre. Bertall, que je connaissais fort bien, découvrit le pot aux roses. Galimard était son propre panégyriste! J’arrive à l’atelier et je dis: ‘Galimard se fait jouir lui-même, c’est lui l’auteur des articles en question.’ De là, le fameux ‘Galimard se touche’ expression maintenant consacrée lorsqu’un artiste parle trop de lui-même. Il faut ajouter que les mots furent écrits dans tous les Rambuteau du Quartier du Temple puis, non seulement à Paris, mais par toute la France. L’empereur acheta la Léda après une tentative criminelle de la part d’un malfaiteur et sur la toile et sur Galimard. On fit une enquête et l’on découvrit que le malfaiteur n’était autre que ... Galimard. L’affaire en resta là. La Léda fut placée au Musée du Luxembourg, après cicatrisation des coups de poignard, bien entendu.”
Galiote, f. (thieves’), conspiracy of card-sharpers to swindle a player.
Galipoter (sailors’), to smear.
Galli-bâton, m. (popular), general fight; great row, or “shindy.”
Galli-trac, m. (popular), poltroon, “cow’s babe.”
Galoche, f. (thieves’), chin; (popular) a game played with a cork and halfpence.
Galons, m. pl. (military), d’imbécile, long-service stripes. Arroser ses ——, to treat one’s comrades on being made a non-commissioned officer; to pay for one’s footing.
Galopante, f. (popular), diarrhœa, or “jerry-go-nimble.”
Galopé, adj. (popular), done hurriedly, carelessly.
Galoper (popular), to annoy; to make unwell. Ça me galope sur le système, or sur le haricot, it troubles me; it makes me ill; —— une femme, to make hot love to a woman.
Galopin, m. (familiar), small glass of beer at cafés. Had formerly the signification of small measure of wine.
Galoubet, m. (theatrical), voice. Avoir du ——, to possess a good voice. Donner du ——, to sing.
En scène, les fées! Attaquons vivement le chœur d’entrée. Du galoubet et de l’ensemble!—P. Mahalin.
Galouser (thieves’), to sing, “to lip.”
Galtos, m. (sailors’), dish. Passer à ——, to eat. (Popular) Galtos, money, or “pieces.” See Quibus.
Galtron, m. (thieves’), foal.
Galuche, f. (thieves’), braid; lace.
Galuché, adj. (thieves’), braided; laced. Combriot ——, laced hat.
Galuchet, m. (popular), the knave at cards.
Galupe, f. (thieves’ and popular), street-walker, “bunter.” See Gadoue.
Galupier, m. (popular), man who keeps a “galupe.” See this word.
Galure, galurin (popular), hat, or “tile.” See Tubard.
Galvaudage, m. (popular), squandering of one’s money; pilfering.
Galvauder (popular), to squander one’s money. Se ——, to lead a disorderly life.
Galvaudeuse, f. (popular), lazy, disorderly woman; street-walker. See Gadoue.
Galvaudeux, m. (popular), lazy vagabond, or “raff;” disorderly fellow; bad workman.
Gambettes, f. pl. (popular), legs. From the old word gambe, leg. Jouer des ——, to run. See Patatrot.
Gambier, f. (popular), cutty pipe. From the name of the manufacturer.
Gambillard, m. (popular), active, restless man.
Gambiller (popular), to dance, “to shake a leg.” Is used by Molière with the signification of to agitate the legs:—
Oui de le voir gambiller les jambes en haut devant tout le monde.—Monsieur de Pourceaugnac.
Gambilles, f. pl. (popular), legs, or “pins.”
Gambilleur, m. (familiar), political quack; (thieves’) dancer; —— de tourtouse, rope-dancer.
Gambilleuse, f. (popular), girl who makes it a practice of attending dancing halls.
Gambriade, f. (thieves’), dance.
Game, f. (thieves’), hydrophobia.
Gamelad (Breton cant), porringer.
Gameler (thieves’), to inform against one, “to blow the gaff.”
Gamelle, f. (sailors’), aux amours, mistress. (Popular and thieves’) Attacher une ——, to decamp, to run away. See Patatrot.
Gamme, f. (popular), thrashing, or “wallopping.” Faire chanter une ——, or monter une ——, to thrash, “to lead a dance.” See Voie. The expression is used by Scarron:—
Ganache, f. (theatrical), jouer les père ——, to perform in the character of a foolish old fellow. Properly ganache, an old fool, “a doddering old sheep’s head.”
Gance, f. (thieves’), a gang, or “mob.” The Slang Dictionary says “mob” signifies a thief’s immediate companions, as “our own mob.”
Gandille, f. (thieves’), sword, or “poker;” dagger, or “cheery;” knife, or “chive.”
Gandin, m. (familiar), dandy, or “masher.” Literally a frequenter of the “Boulevard de Gand,” now Boulevard des Italiens. For list of synonymous expressions see Gommeux. (Second-hand clothes-men’s) Gandin, fine words to attract purchasers. Monter un ——, to entice a purchaser in; to get a customer. (Thieves’) Gandin, a “job” in preparation, or quite prepared; —— d’altèque, the insignia of any order. Hisser un ——, to deceive, “to kid,” or “to best.” See Jobarder.
Gandinerie, f., gandinisme, m. (familiar), the world of gandins, or “swelldom.”
Gandouse, f. (popular), mud, dirt.
Gannaliser (familiar), to embalm. From Gannal, name of a practitioner. The expression is little used.
Gant, m. (popular), moule de ——, box on the ear. Properly mould for a glove.
Ganter (cocottes’), 5½, to be close-fisted; —— 8½, to be open-handed.
Gantière, f. (familiar), disreputable establishment where the female assistants make a show of selling gloves or perfumery, but where they retail anything but those articles.
Gants de pied, m. pl. (military), wooden shoes.
Garçon, m. (popular), à deux mains, slaughterer; —— de bidoche, butcher boy. (Thieves’) Garçon, thief, “prig.” Un brave ——, an expert thief. Un —— de campagne, or de cambrouse, highwayman. Termed formerly in the English cant “bridle-cull.”
La cognade à gayet servait le trèpe pour laisser abouler une roulotte farguée d’un ratichon, de Charlot et de son larbin, et d’un garçon de cambrouse.—Vidocq. (The horse-police were keeping back the crowd in order to open a passage for a cart which contained a priest, the executioner, his assistant, and a highwayman.)
Gardanne, f. (familiar), odd piece of silk.
Garde, m. and f. (popular), national, lot of bacon rind. Gardes nationaux, beans. (Familiar) Descendre la ——, to die, “to kick the bucket.” See Pipe. Vieille ——, superannuated cocotte, or “played out tart.”
Il pouvait citer tel et tel, des noms, des gentilshommes de sang plus bleu que le sien, aujourd’hui collés légitimement et très satisfaits, et pas reniés du tout, avec de vraies roulures, avec des vieilles-gardes!—Richepin, La Glu.
Garde-manger, m. (popular), the behind. See Vasistas.
Garde-proye (thieves’), wardrobe.
Garder (familiar), se —— à carreau, to take precautions in view of future mishaps.
Gardien, m. (popular and thieves’), ange ——, man who undertakes to see drunkards home; rogue who offers to see a drunkard home, robs, and sometimes murders him.
Garé, adj. (popular), des voitures is said of a steady, prudent man, or of one who has renounced a disreputable way of living.
Gare-l’eau, m. (thieves’), chamber-pot, or “jerry.”
Gargagoitche, f. (thieves’ and cads’), face, or “mug.”
Gargariser (familiar and popular), se ——, to drink, “to wet one’s whistle.” For synonyms see Rincer. The expression is old.
Donnez ordre que buvons, je vous prie; et faictes tant que nous ayons de l’eau fraische pour me gargariser le palat.—Rabelais, Pantagruel.
Se —— le rossignolet, to drink, “to have a quencher.”
Gargarisme, m. (popular), a drink, a “drain,” or “quencher.” (Familiar) Faire des gargarismes, to trill when singing.
Gargarousse, f. (popular and thieves’), throat, or “gutterlane;” face, or “mug.” (Sailors’) Se suiver la ——, to eat; to drink, or “to splice the mainbrace.”
Gargoine, f. (popular and thieves’), throat, formerly “gargamelle;” mouth, or “potato-trap.” Termed formerly “potato-jaw,” according to a speech of the Duke of Clarence’s to Mrs. Schwellenberg:—
“Hold you your potato-jaw, my dear,” cried the Duke, patting her.—Supplementary English Glossary.
Se rincer la ——, to drink, “to smile, to see a man” (American).
Gargot, m. (familiar and popular), restaurant; cheap eating-house. Some of the restaurants in Paris have two departments, the cheap one on the ground floor, and a more respectable one higher up.
Gargouenne. See Gargoine.
Gargouillade, f. (popular), rumbling noise in the stomach.
Gargouille; gargouine; gargue, f. (popular), face; mouth. For list of synonyms see Plomb.
Gargousse, f. (sailors’), avec le cœur en ——, with sinking heart.
Gargousses de la canonnière (popular), turnips, cabbages, or beans.
Garibaldi, m. (familiar), red frock; sort of hat. (Thieves’) Coup de ——, blow given by butting at one’s stomach.
Garnaffe, f. (thieves’), farm.
Garnaffier, m. (thieves’), farmer, or “joskin.”
Garnir (popular), se —— le bocal, to eat, “to grub.” See Mastiquer.
Garnison, f. (popular), lice, “grey-backed uns.”
Garno, m. (popular), lodging-house, “dossing crib.”
Gas, m. (familiar and popular), for gars, boy; fellow. Grand ——, tall chap. Mauvais ——, ill-tempered fellow. (Roughs’) Gas de la grinche, thief. Faut pas frayer avec ça, c’est un —— de la grinche, you must not keep company with the fellow, he is a thief. Un —— qui flanche, a hawker. (Thieves’) Fabriquer un —— à la flan, à la rencontre, or à la dure, to attack a man at night and rob him, “to jump a cove.”
Gaspard, m. (popular), cunning fellow, or “sharp file;” rat; cat, or “long-tailed beggar.” Concerning this expression there is a tale that runs thus: A boy, during his first very short voyage to sea, had become so entirely a seaman, that on his return he had forgotten the name for a cat, and pointing to Puss, asked his mother “what she called that ’ere long-tailed beggar?” Accordingly, sailors, when they hear a freshwater tar discoursing too largely on nautical matters, are very apt to say, “but how, mate, about that ’ere long-tailed beggar?”
Gâteau, m. (popular), feuilleté, shoe out at the sole. (Thieves’) Avoir du ——, to get one’s share of booty, “to stand in.”
Gâte-pâte, m. (popular), redoubtable wrestler.
Gâter (popular), de l’eau, to void urine, “to lag.” Se —— la taille, to become pregnant, or “lumpy.”
Gâteuse, f. (familiar), long garment worn over clothes to protect them from the dust.
Gâtisme, m. (familiar), stupidity. Le —— littéraire, decaying state of literature.
Gaucher, gauchier, m. (familiar), member of the Left whether in the Assemblée Nationale or Senate.
Gaudille, or gandille, f. (thieves’), sword, or “poker.”
Gaudineur, m. (popular), house decorator. Probably from gaudir, to be merry, house decorators having the reputation of being light-hearted.
Gaudissard, m. (familiar), commercial traveller, from the name of a character of Balzac’s; practical joker; jovial man.
Gaudrioler (familiar), equivalent to “dire des gaudrioles,” to make jests of a slightly licentious character.
Gaudrioleur, m. (familiar), one fond of gaudrioler (which see).
Gaufres, f. pl. (popular), faire des ——, is said of pock-marked persons who kiss one another. Moule à ——, pock-marked face, or “cribbage-faced.”
Gaule, f. (popular), d’omnicroche, omnibus conductor. Une gaule, properly a pole. (Thieves’) Gaules de schtard, bars of a cell window.
Gaulé, m. (popular), cider.
Gaux, m. (thieves’), lice, “grey-backed uns;” —— picantis, lice in clothing. Basourdir les ——, to kill lice.
Gave, adj. and f. (popular and thieves’), drunken man, “lushington;” stomach.
Etre ——, to be intoxicated. See Pompette.
Gavé, m. (thieves’), drunkard. Faire les gavés, to rob drunkards; to go “bug-hunting.” (Popular) Gavé, term of contempt applied to rich people. From gaver, to glut.
Gaveau, m. (thieves’), tortiller le ——, to kill one by strangulation.
Gaviolé. See Gavé.
Gaviot, m. (popular), throat; mouth. See Plomb. Figuratively stomach.