Slang and its analogues past and present, volume III (of 7)

To get over the Garter, verb. phr. (venery).—To take liberties with a woman.

Garvies, subs. (Scots’).—1. Sprats. Sometimes Garvie-Herring.

1845. P. Alloa, Statis. Acc., viii., 597. They are often very successful in taking the smaller fish, such as herrings, garvies or sprats, sparlings or smelts.

2. (military).—The Ninety-fourth Foot. [From the small stature of the earlier recruits.]

1869. Notes and Queries, 4 S. iii., p. 349. Garvie. The soubriquet points to the low average height of the recruits in the Fifeshire regiments, which, however, may not now be the case, since recruiting has become less local.

Gas, subs. (common).—Empty talk; bounce; bombast.

1847. Porter, Quarter Race, etc., p. 120. The boys said that was all gas to scare them off.

1867. Chambers’ Jour., 29 June. I’ve piped off Sabbath gas in my time I don’t deny, but under the woods we mostly tell the truth.

1868. Chambers’ Jour., 15 Feb., p. 110. I don’t, an’ never could splice ends with them as blow off gas about gold-digging—saying it’s plunder easy come an’ easy gone, seeking the root of evil, an’ other granny talk which hasn’t no meaning. [122]

a. 1871. Emerson (quoted in De Vere’s Amer.). ’Tis odd that our people should have not water on the brain, but a little gas there.

1889. Globe, 31 Oct., p. 4, c. 4. It went on to state that the petitioner’s talk about a divorce was all gas, and made a further appointment.

Verb. (common).—1. To talk idly; to brag; to bounce; to talk for talking’s sake. Fr., faire son cheval de corbillard (in American ‘to be on the tall grass.’) See Long Bow.

1872. Lond. Figaro, 14 Dec. There is no good to be got out of gassing about rallying around standards, uniting as one man to resist, etc.

1875. ‘American English’ in Chambers’ Jour., 25 Sept., p. 610. To gas is to talk only for the purpose of prolonging a debate.

1885. Society, 7 Feb., p. 7. Agitators and place-seekers may gas as much as they please, but they cannot make black appear white.

2. (common).—To impose on by ‘gas’; to pill (q.v.); to splash (q.v.). For synonyms, see Gammon.

To take the gas out of one, verb. phr. (common).—To take the conceit out of; to take down a peg.

To turn on the gas, verb. phr. (common).—To begin bouncing; also to Gas (q.v.).

To turn off the gas, verb. phr. (common).—To cease, or cause to cease, from bouncing, vapouring, or Gas (q.v.).

To gas round, verb. phr. (common).—To seek information on the sly; also to Gas (q.v.).

Gas-Bag, subs. (common).—A man of words or gas (q.v.); a gasconader. Also gasometer. For synonyms, see Mouth Almighty.

Gash, subs. (American).—1. The mouth. For synonyms, see potato-trap.

1878. H. B. Stowe, Poganuc People, ch. xiv., p. 122. Ef Zeph Higgins would jest shet up his gash in town-meetin’, that air school-house could be moved fast enough.

Gashly, adj. (common).—A vulgarism for ghastly.

Gaskins, subs. (old).—Wide hose; wide breeches. [From Galligaskins. Johnson says, ‘an old ludicrous word.’]

Gasp, subs. (common).—A dram of spirits. For synonyms, see Go.

Verb. (common).—To drink a dram, e.g., ‘Will you gasp?’ = Will you take something neat.

Gaspipe, subs. (nautical).—1. An iron steamer, whose length is nine or ten times her beam. [At one time a ship’s length but rarely exceeded four and a half to five times the beam.]

1883. Daily Telegraph, 9 July, p. 5, col. 7. The old Snider—the despair-breeding gas-pipe of our Volunteers—continues to be used in many of the competitions.

Gaspipe-crawler, subs. phr. (common).—A thin man. Cf., Lamp-post. [123]

Gasser, subs. (common).—A braggart. For synonyms, see Mouth Almighty.

Gassy (or Gaseous), adj. (common).—1. Likely to take umbrage or to flare-up.

1872. Whitney, Life and Growth of Lang., p. 17. As when we call an empty and sophistical but ready talker gassy.

Gaster, subs. (nonce-word).—A fine and curious eater (Thackeray). In Rabelais = the belly and the needs thereof: a coinage adopted by Urquhart.

Gat, subs. (schoolboys’).—A quantity; e.g., a gat of grub = plenty to eat. Also gats.

1803. Every-day Life in our Public Schools. They are called up in gats of three at a time.

Gate, subs. (colloquial).—1. The attendance at a race or athletic meeting, held in enclosed grounds; the number of persons who pass the gate.

1883. Sportsman, 20 Dec. The Birmingham man, on account of the large gate that would be secured, wanted the affair to be brought off in that town, whereas Regan favoured Wolverhampton.

2. Money paid for admission to athletic sports, race course, etc.; the same as gate-money (q.v.).

1891. Telegraph, 21 Mar. The leading clubs are now commercial corporations, dependent for revenue on the gates at the matches.

3. in. pl. (University).—The being forbidden to pass outside the gate of a college. See verb, sense 1.

18(?). Bradley, Tales of College Life, p. 19. That’s the ticket; that will just land me in time for gates.

1881. Lang, xxxii Ballades, ‘Of Midsummer Term.’ When freshmen are careless of gates.

Verb. (University).—To confine wholly or during certain hours within the college gate for some infraction of discipline.

1835. The Snobiad (Whibley, Cap and Gown, p. 141). Two proctors kindly holding either arm Staunch the dark blood and gate him for the term.

1853. Bradley, Verd. Green, I., ch. xii. He won’t hurt you much, Giglamps! Gate and chapel you!

1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford, ch. xii. Now you’ll both be gated probably, and the whole crew will be thrown out of gear.

1865. Cornhill Mag., p. 227. He is requested to confine himself to college after a specified hour, which is familiarly termed being gated.

1870. Morning Advertiser, 23 May. The two least culpable of the party have been gated.

The gate, subs. phr. (various).—Among fishmongers, Billingsgate; among thieves, Newgate. Cf., Lane, Row, Garden, etc.

1877. Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. i., p. 5. The ‘steel,’ a slang name of the large metropolitan prisons, as the gate is for Newgate.

To break gates, verb. phr.—(University).—To stay out of college after hours.

To be at Gates, verb. phr. (Winchester College).—To assemble in Seventh Chamber passage, preparatory to going to Hills or Cathedral.

1870. Mansfield, School Life, p. 149. Soon after morning chapel on a holiday or a remedy all the boys assembled at gates.

Gate-Bill, subs. (University).—The record of an undergraduate’s failure to be within the precincts of his college at, or before, a specified time at night.

1803. Gradus ad Cant., p. 128. To avoid gate-bills he will be out at night as late as he pleases … climb over the college wall, and fee his gyp well.

Gate-money, subs. (colloquial).—The charge for admission to a race-meeting. See Gate, subs., sense 1.

1885. Daily News, 25 May, p. 3, c. 2. The truth of the matter is, that so far as sport goes, open meetings like those at Bath and Salisbury cannot stand up against gate-money meetings such as Manchester.

1888. Sporting Life, 10 Dec. The comfort that is brought home at our great gate-money meetings gatherings to every visitor.

Gate-of-Horn, subs. phr. (venery). The female pudendum. Cf., Horn, and for synonyms, see Monosyllable.

Gate-of-Life, subs. (venery).—The female pudendum. Also Gate-of-Horn. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.

Gater, subs. (Winchester College).—A plunge head foremost into a pot (q.v.).

Gate-race (or -meeting), subs. (sporting).—Formerly, a contest not got up for sport but entrance money; now a race or athletic meeting to which admission is by payment.

1881. Daily News, 14 July. Few of these athletics care to compete at gate-meetings.

Gath, subs. (colloquial).—A city or district in Philistia (q.v.); often used, like Askelon (q.v.) for Philistia itself. Hence, to be mighty in gath = to be a Philistine (q.v.) of the first magnitude; to prevail against gath = to smite the Philistines hip and thigh, as becomes a valiant companion of the Davidsbund; and so forth.

Tell it not in Gath, verb. phr. (colloquial).—An interjection of derision, signifying that the person exclaimed against has done something the knowledge of which would bring on him the wrath, or the amazement, of his friends.

Gather. To gather up, verb. phr. (American).—To lead away.

1847. Chronicles of Pineville, p. 182. ‘Gather him up, boys,’ said the judge, ‘the sentence of the law must be executed.’

To gather the taxes, verb. phr. (tailor’s).—To go from workshop to workshop seeking employment. Hence, Tax-gatherer = a man out of work and looking for a job. Cf., Inspector of public buildings.

Gatherings. See Gags.

Gatter, subs. (common).—Beer; also liquor generally. Shant of gatter = a pot of beer. Fr., la moussante. For synonyms, see Drinks.

1818. Maginn, Vidocq Versified. Lots of gatter, says she, is flowing. Lend me a lift in the family way.

1841. Punch, I., p. 243, Gatter is but threepence a pot, and that’s the price of a reasonable ’pike ticket.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, Vol. i., p. 232. They have a ‘shant of gatter’ (pot of beer) at the nearest ‘boozing-ken’ (alehouse). [125]

Gaudeamus, subs. (colloquial).—A feast; a drinking bout; any sort of merry-making. [German students’, but now general and popular.] From the first word of the mediæval (students’) ditty. For synonyms, see Jamboree.

Gaudy (or Gaudy-day), subs. (common).—A feast or entertainment: specifically the annual dinner of the fellows of a college in memory of founders or benefactors; or a festival of the Inns of Court. (Lat. gaudere = to rejoice.)

1754. B. Martin, Eng. Dict., 2nd ed. Gaudies, double commons, such as they have on gaudy or grand days in colleges.

1760. Foote, Minor, Act i. Dine at twelve, and regale, upon a gaudy day, with buns and beer at Islington.

1820. Lamb, Elia (Oxford in the Vacation). Methought I a little grudged at the coalition of the better Jude with Simon—clubbing (as it were) their sanctities together, to make up one poor gaudy-day between them.

1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, ch. xxiii. We had a carouse to your honour … we fought, too, to finish off the gaudy.

1878. Besant and Rice, By Celia’s Arbour, ch. xxxiii. Champagne … goes equally well with a simple luncheon of cold chicken, and with the most elaborate gaudy.

Adj. (colloquial).—Good; frolicsome; festive. Cf., Shakspeare’s ‘Let’s have one other gaudy night.’—Ant. and Cleo., iii, 13.

1884. Hawley Smart, From Post to Finish, p. 176. ‘Yes,’ answered the trainer, slowly, ‘he’s right enough; but a Leger’s a Leger, and I don’t think they are likely to give him a very gaudy chance.’

Neat but not gaudy, as the devil said when he painted his bottom pink, and tied up his tail with pea-green, phr. (common).—A locution used to ancient ladies dressed in flaming colours.

Gauge. See Gage.

To get the gauge of, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To divine an intention; to read a character; to size, (or reckon) up (q.v.). Hence, That’s about the gauge of it = That’s a fair description.

Gauley. See by golly.

Gawf, subs. (costers’).—A red-skinned apple.

1851–61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., i., 63. A cheap red-skinned fruit, known to costers as gawfs, is rubbed hard, to look bright and feel soft, and is mixed with apples of a superior description. Gawfs are sweet and sour at once, I was told, and fit for nothing but mixing.

Gawk, subs. (colloquial).—A simpleton, especially an awkward one, whether male or female. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head. [Scots Gowk = a cuckoo; a fool; whence, to gowk = to, play the fool. As in the ‘Derision of Wanton Women’ (Bannatyne, MS., 1567), ‘To gar them ga in gucking’ = to make them play the fool.]

1837. H. Martineau, Soc. in America, i., 299. They proved such gawks that they were unable to learn.

1882. McCabe, New York, p. 217. I wasn’t half as awkward as some of the gawks about me.

1887. H. Frederic, Seth’s Brother’s Wife, ch. iv. Girls brought up to be awkward gawks, without a chance in life.

Verb. (colloquial).—To loiter round; to play the goat. [The same verb is used by Jonson [126](Magnetic Lady, iii., 4, 1632) in the sense of amazed, or bamboozled, i.e., absolutely befooled: Nay, look how the man stands, as he were gowked!]

1888. F. R. Stockton, Rudder Grange, ch. xvi. That afternoon we gawked around, a-lookin’ at all the outside shows, for Jone said he’d have to be pretty careful of his money now.

Gawkiness, subs. (colloquial).—Awkwardness; silliness; greenness (q.v.).

1873. Miss Broughton, Nancy, ch. xxxvii. The crude gawkiness of the raw girl he has drifted into marrying.

Gawking, subs. (colloquial).—Loitering and staring; gathering hayseed (q.v.).

Gawky, subs. (colloquial).—An awkward booby; a fool. ‘Now squire gawky’ = a challenge to a clumsy lout. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head.

1686–1758. Ramsay, Poems, ii., 299. Or, gentle born ye be; but youths in love you’re but a gawky.

1777. Sheridan, School for Scandal, Act ii., Sc. 2. Crab. Yes, and she is a curious being to pretend to be censorious—an awkward gawky, without any one good point under heaven.

1825. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, ii., ch. 18. Great, long, slab-sided gawkys from the country.

1759. Townley, High Life Below Stairs, i., 1. Under the form of a gawky country boy I will be an eye-witness of my servants’ behaviour.

1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ch. xlviii. Even for his cousin Samuel Newcome, a gawky youth with an eruptive countenance, Barnes had appropriate words of conversation.

Gawney (or Goney), subs. (common).—A fool. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head.

Gay, adj. (colloquial).—1. Dissipated; specifically, given to venery: As in the French, avoir la cuisse gaie = to be addicted to the use of men. Hence gay woman, or girl, or bit = a strumpet; gay house = a brothel; to be gay = to be incontinent; gay in the legs, in the groin, in the arse = short-heeled (q.v.); gaying instrument = the penis [Lexicon Balatronicum, 1811, s.v.]; gay man = a wencher; gay ladie (old) = a mistress; gaying it = copulating.

1383. Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, 3767. What eyeleth you? Some gay girl, God it wot, Hath brough you thus upon the very trot.

1754. Adventurer, No. 124. The old gentleman, whose character I cannot better express than in the fashionable phrase which has been contrived to palliate false principles and dissolute manners, had been a gay man, and was well acquainted with the town.

1857. J. E. Ritchie, Night Side of London, p. 40. Here in Catherine-street vice is a monster of a hideous mien. The gay women, as they are termed, are worse off than American slaves.

1868. Sunday Times, 19 July. As soon as ever a woman has ostensibly lost her reputation, we, with a grim inappositeness, call her gay.

All Gay (or All so Gay). adv. phr. (common).—All right; first-rate; all serene (q.v.).

To feel gay. verb. phr. (colloquial).—Inclined for sport, venereal or other; To feel naughty (q.v.).

Gay Tyke Boy, subs. phr. (old).—A dog fancier.

Gazebo, subs. (old).—A summer-house commanding an extensive view. [Dog-Latin, gazebo = I will gaze.]

Geach, subs. (thieves’).—A thief. For synonyms, see Thieves.

1821. Haggart, Life, p. 73. A small dross scout … which I knew had been geached.

Gear, subs. (venery).—1. The private parts, both male and female. [‘Geere, besognes; aussi les parties honteuses’ (Robert Sherwood’s Dictionarie, English and French, appended to Cotgrave, 1660). ‘Besongner … also to do or leacher with’ (Cotgrave). Anglo-Saxon: gearwe (strong feminine plural) ornaments. Skeat says original sense of gear was ‘preparation.’]

1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, Mozza, a wench, a lasse, a girle. Also a woman’s geare or cunnie.

1620. Percy, Folio MSS. ‘Ffryar and Boye.’ I sweare, by night nor day thy geare is not to borrow.

2. (obsolete).—Work, business (q.v.). Thus: Here’s goodly gear = Here’s fine doings; Here’s a pretty kettle of fish. As in Romeo and Juliet (ii., 2, 106).

Gee, subs. (colloquial).—See Gee-gee.

Verb. (colloquial).—1. To go or turn to the off-side; used as a direction to horses. Cf.: It.: gio = Get on!

1480. Dialogus Creaturum. Et cum sic gloriaretur, et cogitaret cum quanta gloria duceretur ad illum virum super equum, dicendo, ‘Gio! Gio!’ cepit pede percutere terram quasi pungeret equum calcaribus.

1824. Blackwood’s Mag., Oct. Mr. Babb ge-hupped in vain, and strove to jerk the rein, Nobbs felt he had his option to work or play.

To gee with, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To agree with; to fit; to be congenial; to go on all fours with; to do.

1690. B. E., Dict. of the Cant. Crew, Gears, s.v. … It won’t gee, it won’t hit or go.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue. gee, it won’t gee, it won’t hit or do, it does not suit or fit.

1850. Seaworthy, Nag’s Head, ch. v., p. 35. It don’t seem to Gee! said Isaac, as he was trying to adjust the stove.

Gee-gee (or Gee).—subs. (common).—1. A horse. See Gee, verb. in all senses. For synonyms, see Prad.

1888. Referee, 15 April, 1/2. In nearly all other races they see most of the gees do a canter on their way up the course.

1889. Pall Mall Gaz., 14 April. He knows as much about gee-gee’s as a professional trainer.

2. (colloquial).—The nickname among journalists (of the interviewer, type) of Mr. G(eorge) G(rossmith), better known, perhaps, as the Society Clown. [128]

Gee-gee Dodge, subs. phr. (trade).—Selling horseflesh for beef.

1884. Greenwood, Veiled Mysteries. The gee-gee dodge … was seldom or ever practised … it was impossible … to bargain for a regular supply.

Geekie, subs. (Scots thieves’).—A police-station.

Geeloot. See Galoot.

Geese, All his geese are swans, phr. (colloquial).—He habitually exaggerates, or embroiders (q.v.); or, He is always wrong in his estimates of persons and things.

The old woman’s picking her geese (proverbial).—Said of a snowstorm. [The other leg of the couplet (schoolboys’) runs: ‘And selling the feathers a penny a piece.’]

Like geese on a common (colloquial).—Wandering in a body, aggressive and at large: e.g., as faddists (q.v.) in pursuit of a fad; or members of Parliament in recess, when both sides go about to say the thing which is in them.

Geewhilikens! intj. (Western American).—An exclamation of surprise; also jeewhilikens.

Geezer, subs. (popular).—An appellation, sometimes, but not necessarily, of derision and contempt; applied to both sexes, but generally to women. Usually, old geezer. For synonyms, see Witch.

1885. Truth about the Stage, p. 16. If we wake up the old geezers we shall get notice to quit without compensation.

1886. Broadside Ballad, ‘Her Mother’s Got the Hump.’ This frizzle-headed old geezer had a chin on her as rough—well, as rough as her family, and they’re rough ’uns.

1890. A. Chevalier, ‘Knocked ’Em in the Old Kent Road.’ Nice old geezer with a nasty cough.

1892. Anstey, Voces Populi, p. 82. Our old geeser’s perdoocin’ the custimary amount o’ sensation.

Gelding, subs. (old).—A eunuch.

1380. Wycliffe, Trans. of the Bible, Acts viii. 39. … the spirit of the Lord ravysched Filip, and the geldynge say him no more.

to enter for the geldings’ stakes, verb. phr. (old).—To castrate a man; also used to describe a eunuch.

Gelt, subs. (old).—Money; gilt (q.v.). Also gelter.—(Duncombe, 1848).

1690. B. E., Dict. of the Cant. Crew, s.v. There is no gelt to be got, Trading is very dull.

Gemini! (or Geminy! or Jiminy!) intj. (common).—An exclamation of surprise; a mild oath. [Generally referred to the Lat.: Gemini = the Twins (i.e., Castor and Pollux, the objects of an old Roman oath); but Palmer (Folk Etymology), traces the interjection to the German, O Gemine!; Dutch, Jemy Jemini!; both abbreviated from the Latin, O Jesu Domine!; or merely from Jesu meus!; Italian, Giesu mio! It seems to have come in at the Restoration.] Also O Jimminy!; [129]O Jimminy Figs!; O Jimminy Gig! etc.: for the phrase has pleased the cockney mind, and been vulgarised accordingly.

1672. Dryden, The Assignation, Act ii., Sc. 3. Ben. O gemini! is it you, sir?

1704. Steele, Lying Lover, Act iv., Sc. 3. Sim. I stay with you? Oh gemini! Indeed, I can’t.

1780. Mrs. Cowley, The Belle’s Stratagem, iv., 2. Oh gemini! beg the petticoat’s pardon.

1797. M. G. Lewis, Castle Spectre, iii., 3. Oh gemini! what would he use with me, lady?

1798. Morton, Secrets Worth Knowing, i., 1. A parcel of lazy chaps, I dare say—but I’ll make them stir their stumps. Well, here we are at last.—Oh gemini gig how my poor bones do ache!

1836. M. Scott, Tom Cringle’s Log, ch. i. ‘Gemini! what is that now?’ quoth Tip again.

1863. Reade, Hard Cash, I., 125. O, jiminy! This polite ejaculation was drawn out by the speaker’s sudden recognition of Alfred.

Gemman, subs. (vulgar).—A contraction of gentleman.

c. 1551. L. Shepherd, John Bon in Arber’s Garner, iv., 107. Ye be the jolliest gemman that I ever saw in my life.

1767. Colman, Oxonian in Town, I., i. I am glad to see your honour’s well. I hope you left all the gemmin well at Oxford.

Gen, subs. (costers’).—A shilling. Back slang, but cf. Fr., argent. For synonyms, see Blow.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, vol. i., p. 19. I’ll try you a gen (shilling) said a coster.

1887. Saturday Review, 14 May, p. 700. The difficulty of inverting the word shilling accounts for ‘generalize.’ from which the abbreviation to gen is natural as well as affectionate.

Gender, verb. (old).—To copulate. [An abbreviation of Engender.] For synonyms, see Greens and Ride.

1602. Shakspeare, Othello, iv., 2. A cistern for foul toads To knot and gender in.

1892. Bible, Lev. xix., 19. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind.

Feminine Gender, subs. phr. (schoolboys’).—The female pudendum. [As in the old (schoolboys’) rhyme: Amo, amas, I loved a lass, And she was tall and slender, Amas, amat, I laid her flat, And tickled her feminine gender. Quoted (with modifications) by Marryat in Jacob Faithful, 1835.]

Generalize, subs. (costers’). A shilling. See Gen.

Generating Place, subs. phr. (venery).—The female pudendum.

Generation Tool, subs. phr. (venery).—The penis. For synonyms, see Creamstick and Prick.

Geneva Print, subs. phr. (old).—Gin. For synonyms, see Drinks and Satin.

1584–1640. Massinger (quoted in Slang, Jargon, and Cant). And if you meet an Officer preaching of sobriety, Unless he read it in Geneva Print, Lay him by the heels. [130]

Gen-net, subs. phr. (back slang).—Ten shillings.

Gennitraf, subs. (back slang).—A farthing.

Genol, adj. (back slang).—Long.

Gent, subs. (once literary: now vulgar).—1. A showily-dressed vulgarian. [A contraction of ‘gentleman.’]

1635. [Glapthorne], Lady Mother, in Bullen’s Old Plays, ii., 114. Hees not a gent that cannot parlee. I must invent some new and polite phrases.

1785. Burns, Epistle to J. Lapraite, st. 11. Do ye envy the city gent, Behint a kist to lie and sklent?

1843. Thackeray, Irish Sketch Book, ch. viii. The crowd of swaggering gents (I don’t know the corresponding phrase in the Anglo-Irish vocabulary to express a shabby dandy), awaiting the Cork mail.

1844. Disraeli, Coningsby, bk. IV., ch. ii. ‘Ah, not in business! Hem! professional?’ ‘No,’ said Coningsby, ‘I am nothing.’—‘Ah! an independent gent; hem! and a very pleasant thing too.’

1846. Sunday Paper, 24 May. Mr. Rawlinson (Magistrate at Marylebone Police Court). What do you mean by gent? There is no such word in our language. I hold a man who is called a gent to be the greatest blackguard there is.

1869. Blue Budget. The gent indicates a being who apes the gentility without the faintest shadow of a claim to it.

2. (Old Cant).—Money. [From Fr., argent.] For synonyms, see Actual and Gilt.

1864. Revue des Deux Mondes, 15 Sept., p. 470. Les voleurs anglais disent gent pour ‘argent.’

3. (colloquial).—A sweetheart, a mistress: e.g., My gent = my particular friend.

1383. Chaucer, Canterbury Tales. ‘Miller’s Tale.’ [Skeat, 1878, i., 194]. As any wesil her body gent and small.

1553–99. Spenser. He loved as was his lot, a lady gent. Idem. A knight had wrought against a lady gent.

1704. Mad. Knight’s Jour., p. 44. Law you, sais she, it’s right gent, do you take it—’tis dreadfull pretty.

Gentile, subs. (colloquial). Any sort of stranger, native or foreign; among the Mormons, any person not professing the Gospel according to Joe Smith. Hence, In the Land of the Gentiles = (1) in foreign parts; and (2) in strange neighbourhoods or alien society.

Gentle, subs. (anglers’).—A maggot; vulgarly, Gentile.

1811. Songs of the Chase. ‘The Jolly Anglers.’ We have gentles in our horns.

Gentle Craft, subs. (old).—1. The trade of shoemaking. [From the romance of Prince Crispin, who is said to have made shoes.]

1662. Rump Songs. ‘A Hymn to the Gentle Craft,’ etc., ii. 152. Crispin and he were nere akin: The gentle craft hath a noble kin.

Gentleman, subs. (thieves’).—A crowbar. For synonyms, see jemmy.

To put a churl (or beggar) upon a gentleman, verb. phr. (old).—To drink malt liquor immediately after wine.—Grose.

Gentleman of the (Three, or Four, or Five) Outs (or Ins), subs. phr. (old).—A [131]varying and ancient wheeze, of which the following are representative:—

Out of money, and out of clothes; Out at the heels, and out at the toes; Out of credit, and in debt.

A man in debt, in danger, and in poverty; or in gaol, indicted, and in danger of being hanged.

1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford, ch. iv. Paul became a gentleman of three outs—out of pocket, out of elbows, and out of credit.

1834. H. Ainsworth, Rookwood, Bk. III., ch. v. Jerry Juniper was what the classical Captain Grose would designate a gentleman with three outs, and, although he was not entirely without wit, nor his associates avouched, without money, nor certainly, in his own opinion, had that been asked, without manners.

Gentleman of the Back (or Backdoor), subs. (old).—A sodomist. For synonyms, see Usher.

1890. R. L. Stevenson, Treasure Island, p. 149. ‘Why, in a place like this, where nobody puts in but gentlemen of fortune, Silver would fly the jolly roger, you don’t make no doubt of that.’

Gentleman of the Round, subs. phr. (old).—An invalided or disabled soldier, making his living by begging.

1596. Jonson, Every Man in, etc., 2. Your decaied, ruinous, worme-eaten gentlemen of the round.

1839. Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard (1889), p. 12. In the language of the gentleman of the short staff an important caption could be effected.

Gentleman in Brown, subs. phr. (common).—A bed bug. For synonyms, see Norfolk Howard.

1885. G. A. Sala in Daily Telegraph, 14 Aug., 5/3. Bed bugs, the convertible term for which is ‘chintzes,’ are the disagreeable insects known in modern polite English as ‘Norfolk Howards,’ or gentlemen in brown.

The Little Gentleman in Brown Velvet, subs. phr. (obsolete).—A mole. [The Tory toast after the death of William III., whose horse was said to have stumbled over a mole-hill.]

Gentleman of the Green Baize Road, subs. phr. (gamesters’).—A card sharper.

Gentleman Commoner, subs. phr. (University).—1. A privileged class of commoners at Oxford, wearing a special cut of gown and a velvet cap.

2. (common).—An empty bottle. Also fellow-commoner (q.v.). [A sarcastic allusion to the mental capacity of this class of student.] For synonyms, see Dead-man.

Gentleman-ranker, subs. (military).—A broken gentleman serving in the ranks.

1892. Kipling, Barrack Room Ballads. ‘Gentlemen Rankers.’ Gentleman-rankers out on the spree, Damned from here to eternity, God ha’ mercy on such as we, Baa! Yah! Bah! [132]

Gentleman’s Companion, subs. phr. (common).—A louse. For synonyms, see Chates.

Gentleman’s Master, subs. phr. (old).—A highwayman.—Grose.

Gentleman’s (or Ladies’) Piece, subs. phr. (colloquial).—A small or delicate portion; a tit-bit.

Gentleman’s Pleasure-garden, subs. phr. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable. [Hence, Gentleman’s Pleasure-Garden Padlock = menstrual cloth.]

Gentlemen’s Sons, subs. phr. (common).—The three regiments of Guards.

Gently! intj. (stables’ and colloquial).—An interjection = stand still (q.v.); hence, colloquially, = don’t get into a passion, go slow (q.v.).

Gentry Cove (or Cofe), subs. (old cant).—A gentleman; a nib-cove (q.v.). Fr., un messire de la haute.

1656. Brome, Joviall Crew, Act ii. For all this bene Cribbing and Peck let us then, Bowse a health to the gentry cofe of the Ken.

1654. Witts’ Recreations. As priest of the game, And prelate of the same. There’s a gentry cove here.

1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, ch. Tour the bien mort twiring the gentry cove.

Gentry Cove’s Ken (or Gentry-Ken), subs. phr. (Old Cant).—A gentleman’s house.

1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 65. A gentry cofe’s ken, a noble or gentleman’s house. A gentry cofe, a noble or gentle man.

1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 38 (H. Club’s Rept., 1874). Gentry cove’s ken, a gentleman’s house.

Gentry Mort, subs. phr. (old cant).—A lady.

1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 38 (H. Club’s Rept., 1874). Gentry mort, a gentlewoman.

Genuine, subs. (Winchester College).—Praise.

Verb. (Winchester College).—To praise. ‘He was awfully quilled and genuined my task.’ [Probably from calling a thing genuine. Cf., to blackguard, to lord, etc. But fifty years ago it was a subs. only.—Notions.]

Geordie, subs. (North Country).—1. A pitman; also, a Northumbrian in general.

George (or Scots’ diminutive Geordie), subs. (old). 1.—A half crown. Also (obsolete), the noble = 6s. 8d., temp., Henry VIII. [133]

1690. B. E., Dict. of the Cant. Crew. He tipt me Forty Georges for my earnest, He paid me Five Pounds for my Share or Snack.

George Horne, intj. (printers’).—A derisive retort on a piece of stale news. Also G. H.! [From a romancing compositor of the name.]

Georgy-Porgy, verb (colloquial).—To pet; to fondle; to beslobber.

1883. R. L. Stevenson, The Treasure of Franchard, ch. iii., in Longman’s Magazine, April, p. 685. He must be spoken to with more respect, I tell you; he must not be kissed and georgy-porgy’d like an ordinary child.

German. The German, subs. phr. (New York).—A round dance.

German Duck, subs. phr. (obsolete).—1. Half a sheep’s head, stewed with onions.—Grose.

German Flutes, subs. phr. (rhyming).—A pair of boots.

Germantowner, subs. (American billiards’).—A pushing shot—when the balls played with, and at, are jarred together. Cf., Whitechapeller.

Gerry, subs. (Old Cant).—Excrement.

Gerry Gan, intj. (Old Cant).—A retort forcible. Stow it! (q.v.). [From Gerry = excrement + Gan = mouth, i.e., literally, Shit in your mouth.] The common form is: Shit (or a turd) in your teeth; as in Ben Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, 1614. Fr., Tais ta gueule ou j’te chie dedans.

Gerrymander (pronounced with the ‘g’ hard, as in ‘get’), verb. (political American).—To arrange the electoral subdivisions of a State to the profit and advantage of a particular party.

[The term, says Norton, is derived from the name of Governor Gerry, of Massachusetts, who, in 1811, signed a Bill readjusting the representative districts so as to favour the Democrats and weaken the Federalists, although the last-named party polled nearly two-thirds of the votes cast. A fancied resemblance of a map of the districts thus treated led Stuart, the painter, to add a few lines with his pencil, and say to Mr. Russell, editor of the Boston Sentinel. ‘That will do for a Salamander.’ Russell glanced at it: ‘Salamander,’ said he, ‘call it a Gerrymander!’ The epithet took at once, and became a Federalist war-cry, the caricature being published as a campaign document.]

1871. Boston Daily Advertiser, 6 Dec. Gerrimander was the name printed under a picture of a pretended monster, whose shape was modified from the distorted geography which Mr. Gerry’s friends inflicted on part of the State for the sake of economizing, majorities. [134]

Gerrymandering, subs. (political American). See Gerrymander.

1872. New York Sunday Mercury, 31 March. The Legislature of Ohio intends to prove itself a veritable master in the gerrymandering business.

1890. Athenæum, 22 Feb. p. 238, c. 1. Whatever faults can be found with Sir John’s administration, it has been good and successful enough to afford excuse for all the gerrymandering with which he is charged by his critics.

1891. Belfort’s Mag., Aug., p. 439. The Democrats of Michigan have carried the art of gerrymandering to such an extent that they have thoroughly disgusted their opponents.

Gerund-Grinder, subs. (common).—A schoolmaster, especially a pedant. Also Gerund-Grinding.

1759–67. Sterne, Tristram Shandy, iv., 112. Tutors, governors, gerund-grinders, and bear-leaders.

1788. Knox, Winter Evenings, 59. A pedant, a mere plodder, a petty tyrant, a gerund-grinder.

1825–7. Hone, Every Day Book, II., p. 33. Gerund-Grinding and parsing are usually prepared for at the last moment.

Get, subs. (old).—1. A cheating contrivance; a Have (q.v.).

2. (old).—A child; the result, that is, of an act of procreation or begetting. Thus, one of his gets = one of his making; whose get is that? = Who’s the father? It’s his get, anyhow = At all events he got it.

1570. Scottish Text Society, Satirical Poems, I., 171, ‘Treason of Dumbarton’ (1891). Ganelon’s gets, relicts of Sinon’s seed.

d. 1798. Burns, Merry Muses. ‘For a’ that.’ O’ bastard getts some had a score, An’ some had mair than a’ that.

1891. N. Gould, Double Event, p. 41. This, again, is unusual for a Chester, as his get are generally quiet and docile, but a bit lazy.

Get! (or You Get!) intj. (American).—Short for Get out! Usually, Git! (q.v.).

1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 176. None of your damned impertinence. Get!

To get at, verb. phr. (colloquial).—1. To quiz; to banter; to aggravate; to take a rise out of. Also To get back at.

1891. Sloper’s Half Holiday, 3 Jan. ‘Your family don’t seem to get on, missie.’ ‘On!’ replied the child, with dignity flashing from her great blue eyes; ‘on! I’ve got a father on the booze, a sister on the music ’all, an’ a brother on the treadmill. On! who’re ye gettin’ at?’

2. (racing and colloquial).—To influence; to bribe; to nobble (of horses), and to corrupt (of persons); applied to horse, owner, trainer, jockey, and vet. alike.

1870. Spectator, 23 April. That, of course, makes it profitable for owners to withdraw horses they have secretly betted against, and for scoundrels to get at horses.

1871. Saturday Review, 9 Sept. It is quite clear that some of the foreign working men have been got at.

1883. Graphic, 17 March, p. 262, c. 2. The House of Commons … can also be trusted to decide in local questions without any suspicion of being got at, as is sometimes the case elsewhere.

1883. Badminton Library, Steeplechasing, p. 404. Suspicions that the mare had been got at, that is to say, drugged, were afterwards noised abroad.

1888. Daily Telegraph, 17 Nov. It was strongly suspected that he had been got at.

1890. Globe, 11 Aug., p. 1, c. 1. Fancy the professional agitator trying to get at such men as these—men who gloried in being soldiers and nothing else!

1892. Pall Mall Gazette, May 10, p. 3, c. 3. The scoundrels (verily of the lowest form) who have tried to get at Orme.

1892. National Observer, vii. 630. If the horse were got at, then a bookie who stood heavily to lose is probably assumed. [135]

To get about, verb. phr. (venery).—To do the act of intromission. For synonyms, see Greens and Ride.

Get back into your box! phr. (American).—An injunction to silence; stow it! (q.v. for synonyms).

To get encored, verb. phr. (tailors’).—To have a job returned for alterations.

To get even with, verb. phr. (common).—To take one’s revenge; to give tit for tat.

To get it, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be punished (morally or physically); to be called over the coals. Also (venery) to catch a clap.

To get off, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To (1) escape punishment, to be let off; (2) to utter, to deliver oneself of, to perpetrate—as to get off a joke; and (3) to get married.

To get on, verb. phr. (colloquial).—1. To back a horse; to put a bit on (q.v.).

2. (colloquial).—To succeed; or, simply, to fare. Thus, How are you getting on? may signify (1) To what extent are you prospering? or (2) How are you doing?

1871. Pall Mall Gaz., 29 Dec. That great Anglo-Saxon passion of rising in the world, or getting on—that is, rising into the class above him.

1892. A. W. Pinero, The Times: a Comedy, v. 1. We used to go very early to such places and stay right through, now that papa has got on, we arrive late everywhere and murmur an apology!

To get one in the cold, verb. phr. (American).—To have at an advantage; to be on the windward side (q.v.); to have on toast (q.v.).

To get down fine (or close), verb. phr. (American).—To know all about one’s antecedents; and (police) to know where to find one’s man.

To get into, verb. phr. (venery).—To occupy (q.v.). Also To get in and To get up. For synonyms, see Greens and Ride.

1620. Percy, Folio MSS., p. 197. Gett vp againe, Billy, if that thou louest me.

To get over, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To seduce, to fascinate, to dupe. Also To come over and To get round.

To get outside of, verb. phr. (colloquial).—1. To eat or drink; also to accomplish one’s purpose.

1892. S. Watson, Wops the Waif, p. 9. Tickle urged Wops again and again to drink, but Wops’s only reply was, ‘Yer go on, Tickle; git outside the lot, if yer can; it’ll do yer good, Cully.’