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

To get out of bed on the wrong side, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be testy or cross-grained. [A corruption of an old saying, ‘To rise on the right side is accounted lucky’; hence the reverse meant trials to temper, patience, and luck.]

1608. Machin, Dumb Knight, iv., 1. Sure I said my prayers, ris’d on my right side, Wash’d hands and eyes, put on my [136]girdle last; Sure I met no splea-footed baker, No hare did cross me, nor no bearded witch, Nor other ominous sign.

1614. Terence in English. C. What doth shee keepe house alreadie? D. Alreadie. C. O good God!; we rose on the right side to-day.

1890. Globe, 15 May, p. 2, col. 2. Some of them had—if we may employ such a vulgar expression—got out of bed on the wrong side.

To get out (or Round), verb. phr. (racing).—To back a horse against which one has previously laid; to Hedge (q.v.).

1884. Hawley Smart, From Post to Finish, p. 318. He had an idea Johnson was this time cleverly working a very well authorised commission, and that he personally had taken more than one opportunity of what is termed getting out.

To get set, verb. phr. (cricketing).—1. To warm to one’s work at the wicket, and collar the bowling; to get one’s eye well in.

To get there, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To attain one’s object; to be successful; to make one’s jack (q.v.); to get there with both feet = to be very successful.

1887. Francis, Saddle and Mocassin. He said as he’d been gambling, and was two hundred dollars ahead of the town. He got there with both feet at starting.

1888. New York Herald, 29 July. Although not a delegate he got there all the same.

To get through, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To pass an examination; to accomplish.

1853. Bradley, Verd. Green, II. ch. xii. So you see, Giglamps, I’m safe to get through.

To get up and dust, verb. phr. (American).—To depart hastily. For synonyms, see Skedaddle and Amputate.

To get up behind (or get behind) a man, verb. phr. (common).—To endorse or back a bill.

1880. Life in a Debtor’s Prison, p. 87. In other cases he figured as the drawer, or simply as endorser. This, Mr. Whipper described as getting up behind.

To get up the mail, verb. phr. (thieves’).—To find money (as counsels’ fees, etc.) for defence.

[Get enters into many other combinations. See back teeth; bag or sack; bead; beans; beat; big bird and goose; big head; billet; bit; boat; bolt; books; bulge; bullet; bull’s feather; crocketts; dander and monkey; dark; drop; eye; flannels; flint; game; grand bounce; gravel-rash; grind; grindstone; hand; hang; hat; head; hip or hop; home; horn; hot; jack; keen; length of one’s foot; measure; mitten; needle; religion; rise; run; scot, swot, or scrape; set; shut of; silk; snuff; straight; sun; ticket of leave; wool; wrong box.]

Getaway, subs. (American thieves’).—A locomotive or train; a puffer (q.v.).

Getter. A sure getter, subs. phr. (Scots).—A procreant male with a great capacity for fertilization. [137]

Get-up, subs. (colloquial).—1. Dress; constitution and appearance; disguise. See Get-up, verb, sense 1.

1856. Whyte Melville, Kate Coventry, ch. xiv. Is that killing get up entirely for your benefit, John? I asked.

1865. G. A. Sala, Trip to Barbary, ch. x. Altogether the get up of a Mauresque en promenade is livelier and smarter than that of a Turkish woman.

1866. G. Eliot, Felix Holt, ch. xii. The graceful, well-appointed Mr. Christian, who sneered at Scales about his get up, having to walk back to the house with only one tail to his coat.

1882. Graphic, 9 Dec., p. 643, c. 2. Comic gets up, which will make the house roar presently, are elaborated with the business air of a judge in banc, or a water-rate collector.

1889. Mirror, 26 Aug., p. 2, c. 1. I cannot, however, congratulate F. C. G. on his sketch of Blowitz; it isn’t much like the great man, and the get up is quite too absurd.

1890. Daily Telegraph, 25 Feb., p. 7. col. 7. Dressed as a copurchic, and, giving himself out as an Italian count—thinking to entrap some Transatlantic heiress by his title, fascinating appearance, and gorgeous get up.

Verb. phr. (colloquial).—(1). To prepare (a part, a paper, a case); (2) to arrange (a concert); (3) to dress (as got up regardless, to the nines, to the knocker, to kill, within an inch of one’s life); (4) to disguise (as a sailor, a soldier, Henry VIII., a butcher, a nun). See also Get into.

1828. L. Hunt, Essays (Camelot ed.), p. 13. The pocket-books that now contain any literature are got up, as the phrase is, in the most unambitious style.

1856. Whyte Melville, Kate Coventry, ch. xviii. Three very gentleman-like, good-looking men, got up to the utmost extent of hunting splendour.

1864. Eton School Days, ch. xviii., p. 207. He felt confident in his power of getting up so that no one would recognise him.

1866. New York Home Journal, Jan. While that admirable old dame, Nature, has been strangely neglectful of much which might be conducive to our comfort, she has gotten up, regardless of expense, a few articles which are good for some purposes, as the witty Hood has told us.

1871. London Figaro, 11 Mar. It is got up very much in the style of the Paris journals, and is very inferior compared with any respectable journal in England.

1889. Polytechnic Magazine, 24 Oct., p. 261. He came specially got up in piebald trousers.

1892. Chevalier. ‘The Little Nipper.’ I’ve knowed ’im take a girl on six feet tall; ’E’d git ’imself up dossy, Say ‘I’m goin’ out wi’ Flossie.’

G.H. See George Horne.

Ghastly, adj. and adv. (colloquial).—Very: a popular intensitive; Cf., Awful, Bloody, Fucking.

Ghost, subs. (common).—One who secretly does artistic or literary work for another person taking the credit and receiving the price. [The term was frequently used during the trial of Lawes v. Belt in 188(?).] Cf., devil.

1890. Daily Telegraph, 8 Feb. The sculptor’s ghost is conjured up from the vasty deep of byegone lawsuits.

1892. National Observer, vii., 327. Would not the unkind describe your ‘practical man’ as a ghost?

The ghost walks (or does not walk) phr. (theatrical).—There is (or is not) money in the treasury.

1853. Household Words, No. 183. When no salaries are forthcoming the ghost doesn’t walk. [138]

1883. Referee, 24 June, p. 3, c. 2. An Actor’s Benevolent Fund box placed on the treasurer’s desk every day when the ghost walks would get many an odd shilling or sixpence put into it.

1885. The Stage, p. 112. The rogues seldom appear at a loss for a plausible story when it is time for the ghost to walk. Ibid. The next day the ghost declines to walk.

1889. J. C. Colman (in Slang, Jargon, and Cant), p. 405. Ghost-walking, a term originally applied by an impecunious stroller in a sharing company to the operation of ‘holding the treasury,’ or paying the salaries, which has become a stock facetiæ among all kinds and descriptions of actors. Instead of enquiring whether the treasury is open, they generally say—‘Has the ghost walked?’ or ‘What, has this thing appeared again?’ (Shakspeare).

1890. Illustrated Bits, 29 Mar., p. 11, c. 1. And a few nights with empty benches laid the ghost completely. It could not even walk to the tune of quarter salaries.

The ghost of a chance, subs. phr. (colloquial).—The faintest likelihood, or the slightest trace: e.g., He hasn’t the ghost of a chance.

Ghoul, subs. (American.)—1. A spy; specifically a man who preys on such married women as addict themselves to assignation houses.

2. (journalistic).—A newspaper chronicler of the smallest private tittle-tattle.

Gib, subs. (colloquial).—1. Gibraltar. Once a penal station: whence—2. A gaol.

1877. Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. iii., p. 221. I did a lagging of seven, and was at the gib three out of it.

1892. Pall Mall Gazette, 23 Mar., p. 6, c. 1. ‘Stormy Weather at gib.’ The weather here has been fearful; 51 inches of rain have been registered, and the land for miles round Gibraltar is submerged.

Gibberish (or Gebberish, Gibberidge, Gibrige, etc.), subs. (old: now recognised).—Originally the lingo of gipsies, beggars, etc. Now, any kind of inarticulate nonsense. [From gibber, a variant of Jabber.] See Cant, Slang, Pedlar’s French, etc.

1594. Nashe, Unf. Traveller, in wks., v., 68. That all cried out upon him mightily in their gibrige, lyke a companie of beggers.

1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes. Gergare, to speak fustian, pedlers french, or rogues language, or gibbrish.

1611. Cotgrave, Dictionarie. Jargon, gibridge fustian language, pedler’s French, a barbarus jangling.

1638. H. Shirley, Martyr’d Souldier, Act iii., Sc. 4. Feele my pulse once again and tell me, Doctor, Tell me in tearmes that I may understand,—I doe not love your gibberish,—tell me honestly Where the Cause lies, and give a Remedy.

1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5th ed.). Gibberish (s.) an unintelligible jargon, or confused way of speaking, used by the gipsies, beggars, etc., to disguise their wicked designs; also any discourse where words abound more than sense.

1748. Smollett, Rod. Random, ch. xxx. He repeated some gibberish which by the sound seemed to be Irish.

1817. Scott, Rob Roy, ch. viii. Since that d——d clerk of mine has taken his gibberish elsewhere.

1850. D. Jerrold, The Catspaw, Act i. Odds and ends … writ down in such a kind of gibberish that I can’t make out one of ’em.

1858. G. Eliot, Mr. Gilfit’s Love Story, ch. iv. It’ll learn to speak summat better nor gibberish, an’ be brought up i’ the true religion.

1892. R. L. Stevenson and L. Osbourne, The Wrecker, p. 129. It was Fo’c’s’le Jack that piped and drawled his ungrammatical gibberish. [139]

Gibble-Gabble, subs. (colloquial).—Nonsense; gibberish (q.v.). [A reduplication of gabble (q.v.).]

1600. Dekker, Shoemaker’s Holiday, in wks. (1873) i., 21. Hee’s some uplandish workeman, hire him good master, That I may learne some gibble gabble, ’twill make us worke the faster.

1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5th ed.). Gibble-gabble (s), silly, foolish, idle talk.

Gib-cat, subs. (old).—A tom-cat. [An abbreviation of Gilbert = O. Fr.: Tibert, the cat in the fable of Reynard the Fox.]

1360. Chaucer, Romaunt of the Rose, 6204 (Thibert le Cas is rendered by gibbe, our cat).

1598. Shakspeare, 1 Henry IV., Act i., Sc. 2. I am as melancholy as a gib-cat.

1614. Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, i., 1. Before I endure such another day with him, I’ll be drawn with a good gib-cat through the great pond at home.

1663. Rump Songs. ‘Rump Carbonadoed,’ ii., 71. As if they had less wit and grace than gib-cats.

Gibe, verb. (American).—To go well with; to be acceptable. See Gee.

Gibel, verb. (thieves’).—To bring.

Gib-face, subs. (colloquial).—A heavy jowl; an ugly-mug (q.v.). Cf., to hang one’s gib.

Giblets, subs. (common).—1. The intestines generally; the manifold (q.v.). Cf. trouble-giblets.

1864. Browning, Dramatis Personæ, ‘Flight of the Duchess.’ Is pumped up briskly through the main ventricle, And floats me genially round the giblets.

To join giblets, verb. phr. (venery).—To copulate. Also to have or do a bit of giblet-pie. For synonyms, see Ride. Hence to cohabit as husband and wife; to live tally. Cf., plaster of warm guts.

1887. Notes and Queries, 7 S., iv., 511. ‘To join giblets.’—This expression may occasionally be heard in this district, among the lowest and vulgarest, and has a very offensive meaning.

Gibraltar, subs. (American).—A party stronghold: e.g., the Gibraltar of Democracy.—Norton.

Gibson (or Sir John Gibson), subs. (old coachbuilders’).—A rest to support the body of a building coach.

Gibus, subs. (colloquial).—1. An opera, or crush hat. Fr., un accordéon. [From the name of the inventor.]

1867. Jas. Greenwood, Unsent. Journeys, iii., 21. West-End aristocrats, with spotless jean coats and Gibus hats.

1871. Figaro, 2 Sept. Much fun may be made by wearing a Gibus, and collapsing it at the moment of contact with the funnel.

1885. Punch, 4 Apr., p. 160. Giving his comic, shiny, curly-brimmed hat to the swell who couldn’t by any possible chance have mistaken it for his own Gibus.

Giddy, adj. (colloquial).—Flighty; wanton: e.g., to play the giddy goat = to live a fast life; to be happy-go-lucky.

1892. Ally Sloper, 19 Mar., p. 91, c. 2. Fanny Robinson was flighty; she played the giddy ox—I mean heifer.

Giffle-gaffle, subs. (old).—Nonsense; a variant of gibble-gabble (q.v.).

Gif-gaf (or Giff-gaff), subs. (Scots’).—A bargain on equal terms. Whence the proverb: Gif-gaf maks guid friens. Fr.: Passe-moi la casse et je t’enverrai la senne.

Gift, subs. (colloquial).—1. Anything, lightly gained or easily won.

As full of gifts as a brazen horse of farts, phr. (old).—Mean; miserly; disinclined to part (q.v.).

Gift-house (or Gift), subs. (printers’).—A club; a house of call; specifically for the purpose of finding employment, or providing allowances for members.

Gig (Gigg, Gigge), subs. (old).—1. a wanton; a mistress; a flighty girl. Cf., Giglet.

1780. D’Arbley, Diary, etc., (1876), i., 286. Charlotte L—— called, and the little gig told … of the domestic life she led in her family, and made them all ridiculous, without meaning to make herself so.

1825. Planché, Success in Extravaganzas (1879) I., 26. He! he! What a gig you look in that hat and feather!

1832. Macaulay in Life, by Trevelyan (1884), ch. v., p. 188. Be you Foxes, be you Pitts, You must write to silly chits, Be you Tories, be you Whigs, You must write to sad young gigs.

2. (old).—A jest; a piece of nonsense; anything fanciful or frivolous. Hence, generally, in contempt.

1590. Nashe, Pasquil’s Apologie, in wks. Vol. I., p. 234. A right cutte of the worde, withoute gigges or fancies of haereticall and newe opinions.

1793. Butt, Poems.… Fograms, quizzes, treats, and bores, and gigs, Were held in some account with ancient prigs.

1856. Whyte Melville, Kate Coventry, ch. xiv. Such a set of gigs, my dear, I never saw in my life; large underbred horses, and not a good-looking man amongst them.

3. (old).—The nose. For synonyms, see Conk. To snitchell the gig = to pull the nose. Grunter’s gig = a hog’s snout.

4. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable. [Possibly from gig = a top, i.e., a toy; possibly, too, from It. giga = a fiddle (q.v.); but see post sense 8.]

1809. Windham, Speech, 25 May. Let the former riders in gigs and whiskeys, and one horsed carriages continue to ride in them.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue. It is all bob, now let’s dub the gigg of the case: now the coast is clear, let us break open the door of the house.

1797. Colman, Heir at Law, iv., 3. Dick.—What a damn’d gig you look like. Pangloss.—A gig! umph! that’s an Eton phrase—the Westminsters call it Quiz.

1870. Athenæum, 16 Apr. He would now be what Eton used to call a gig, and Westminster a Quiz.

8. (old).—Fun; a frolic; a spree. [Possibly from Fr.: gigue = a lively dance movement. Cf., gigue et jon = a Bacchanalian exclamation of sailors. In Florio, too, frottolare = ‘to sing gigges, rounds, or … wanton verses.’] Full of gig = full of laughter, ripe for mischief.

1811. Moore, Twopenny Post-bag, Letter 3. We were all in high gig—Roman punch and tokay travelled round, till our heads travelled just the same way.

1820. Randall, Diary. In search of lark, or some delicious gig, The mind delights on, when ’tis in prime twig.

1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, i., 3. I hope we shall have many a bit of gig together.

1888. Besant, Fifty Years Ago, p. 134. A laughter-loving lass of eighteen who dearly loved a bit of gig.

1871. Finish to Tom and Jerry, p. 175 (ed. 1872). The bit of myrtle in his gig.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. To gigg a Smithfield hank, to hamstring an overdrove ox.

1551. W. Still, Gammer Gurton’s Needle, ii., 51. Chad a foule turne now of late, chill tell it you, by gigs!

Gigamaree, subs. (American).—A thing of little worth; a pretty but useless toy; a gimcrack (q.v.).

1848. Jones, Sketches of Travel, p. 9. Byin’ fineries and northern gigamarees of one kind or another.

Ibid. I ax’d the captain what sort of a gigamaree he had got up there for a flag.

Gigantomachize, verb. (old).—To rise in revolt against one’s betters. Gr., Gigantomachia = the War of the Giants against the Gods. [Probably a coinage of Ben Jonson’s.]

1599. Jonson, Every Man Out, Act v., 4. Slight, fed with it the whoreson, strummel-patched, goggle-eyed grumble-dores would have gigantomachized their Maker.

Gigger, subs. (tailors’).—1. A sewing machine. (In allusion to noise and movement).

Giggles-nest. Have you found a giggles-nest? phr. (old).—Asked of a person tittering, or one who laughs immoderately and senselessly. [142]

Gig-lamps, subs. (common).—1. Spectacles. For synonyms, see Barnacles.

1848. Bradley, in Letter to J. C. H. Gig-lamps (certainly a university term. I first heard it in 1848 or 1849, long before Mr. Verdant Green was born or thought of).

1877. Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. ii., p. 140. You with the gig-lamps, throw us your cigar.

1887. Punch, 30 July, p. 45. Jack’s a straw-thatched young joker in gig-lamps.

1892. F. Anstey, Voces Populi. ‘At the Tudor Exhibition.’ Stop, though, suppose she has spotted me? Never can tell with giglamps.

2. (common).—One who wears spectacles; a four eyes (q.v.). [Popularised by Verdant Green.]

Gigler (or Giglet, Goglet, Gigle, Gig), subs. (old).—A wanton; a mistress. Giglet (West of England) = a giddy, romping girl; and in Salop a flighty person is called a giggle. Cf., Gig, sense 1.

1533. Udal, Floures for Latine Spekynge, fo. 101. What is the matter, foolish giglotte? What meanest thou? Whereat laughest thou?

1567. Harman, Caveat, leaf 22, back. Therefore let us assemble secretly into the place where he hath appoynted to meet this gyleot that is at your house.

1603. Shakspeare, Measure for Measure, v., 1. Let him speak no more: away with those giglots too, and with the other confederate companion.

1620. Massienger, Fatal Dowry, Act. iii. If this be The recompence of striving to preserve A wanton gigglet honest, very shortly ’Twill make all mankind pandars.

Adj. (old).—Loose in word and deed. Also giglet-like, and giglet-wise = like a wanton.

1598. Shakspeare, 1 Henry IV., Act v., Sc. 1. Young Talbot was not born To be the pillage of a giglot wench.

1600. Fairfax, Jerusalem Delivered, vi., 72. That thou wilt gad by night in giglet-wise, Amid thine armed foes to seek thy shame.

Gild, verb. (old).—To make drunk; to flush with drink.

1609. Shakspeare, Tempest, Act v., Sc. 1. This grand liquor that hath gilded them.

1620. Fletcher, Chances, iv., 3. Is she not drunk, too? A little gilded o’er, sir.

To gild the pill, phr. (colloquial).—To say, or do, unpleasant things as gently as may be; to impose upon; to bamboozle (q.v.).

Gilded Rooster, subs. phr. (American).—A man of importance; a howling swell (q.v.); sometimes the gilded rooster on the top of the steeple. Cf., big-bug; big dog of the tanyard, etc.

1888. New York Herald. We admit that as a metropolis Chicago is the gilded rooster on top of the steeple, but even gilded roosters have no right to the whole corn bin.

Gilderoy’s Kite. To be hung higher than gilderoy’s kite, verb. phr. (old).—To be punished more severely than the very worst criminals. ‘The greater the crime the higher the gallows’ was at one time a practical legal axiom. Hence, out of sight; completely gone.

Giles’ Greek. See St. Giles’ Greek. [143]

Gilguy, subs. (nautical).—Anything which happens to have slipped the memory; equivalent to what’s-his-name or thingamytight.

Gilkes, subs. (old).—Skeleton keys.

1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 38 (H. Club’s Rept., 1874). Gilkes or the Gigger, false keyes for the doore or picklockes.

Gill (or Jill), subs. (old).—1. A girl; (2) a sweetheart: e.g., ‘every Jack must have his Gill’; (3) a wanton, a strumpet (an abbreviation of gillian). For synonyms, see Jomer and Titter.

1586–1606. Warner, Albion’s England, bk. vii., ch. 37. The simplest gill or knave.

1598. Florio, A Worlde of Wordes, Palandrina, a common queane, a harlot, a strumpet, a gill.

3. in. pl. ‘g’ hard (colloquial).—The mouth or jaws; the face. See Potato-trap and Dial.

1632. Jonson, Magnetic Lady, i. He … draws all the parish wills, Designs the legacies, and strokes the gills of the chief mourners.

b. 1738. Wolcot, Pindar’s Works (1809), i., 8. Whether you look all rosy round the gills, Or hatchet-fac’d like starving cats so lean.

1820. Lamb, Elia (Two Races of Men). What a careless, even deportment hath your borrower! what rosy gills!

1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ch. viii. Binnie, as brisk and rosy about the gills as chanticleer, broke out in a morning salutation.

4. in. pl. (common).—A very large shirt collar; also stick-ups and sideboards. Fr.: cache-bonbon-à-liqueur = a stick-up.

1859. Sala, Twice Round the Clock, 6 p., in Part 7. With a red face, shaven to the superlative degree of shininess, with gills white and tremendous, with a noble white waistcoat.

1884. Daily Telegraph, July 8, p. 5, c. 4. Lord Macaulay wore, to the close of his life, ‘stick-ups,’ or gills.

To grease the gills.—verb. phr. (common).—To have a good meal; to wolf (q.v.).

To look blue (or queer, or green) about the gills, verb. phr. (common).—To be downcast or dejected; also to suffer from the effects of a debauch. Hence, conversely, to be rosy about the gills = to be cheerful.

1836. M. Scott, Tom Cringle’s Log, ch. ii. Most of them were very white and blue in the gills when we sat down, and others of a dingy sort of whitey-brown, while they ogled the viands in a most suspicious manner.

1892. G. Manville Fenn, Witness to the Deed, ch. ii. You look precious seedy. White about the gills.

A cant (or dig) in the gills, phr. (pugilists’).—A punch in the face. See Bang.

Gill-flirt, subs. (old).—A wanton; a flirt. For synonyms, see Barrack Hack and Tart.

1611. Cotgrave, Dictionarie. Gaultiere, a whore, punke, drab, queane, gill, flirt. [144]

Gilly, subs. (American).—A fool. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head.

Gilly-gaupus, subs. phr. (Scots).—A tall loutish fellow.

Gilt, subs. (popular).—1. Money. [Ger.: Geld; Du.: Geld.]

English Synonyms.—Add to those under Actual:—Charms; checks; cole or coal; coliander seeds; corn in Egypt; crap; darby; dots; ducats; gingerbread; kelter; lowie; lurries; moss; oil of palms; palm-oil; peck; plums; rhino; rivets; salt; sawdust; scad; screen; scuds; shigs; soap; spoon; steven; sugar; tea-spoons; tinie.

French Synonyms.—Le galtos (popular); l’odeur de gousset (obsolete); l’onguent (= palm grease, Sp., unguento; the simile is common to most languages); le morlingue (thieves’); la menouille (popular); le michon (thieves’: from miche, a loaf, cf., Loaver); les monacos (popular); le monarque (prostitutes’: primarily a five franc piece); le blé (= corn or loaver); les étoffes (thieves’).

Spanish Synonyms.—La lana (= wool); la morusa (colloquial); la mosca (= the flies); lo numerario; la pelusa (= down); lo zurraco (colloquial); lo unguento de Mejico (= Mexican Grease); a’ toca teja (colloquial: ready money); caire.

German Synonyms.—Fuchs (= fox: an allusion to the ruddy hue of gold pieces); fuxig or fuxern = golden, red; fuchsmelochener (= goldsmith); gips or gyps (Viennese thieves’, from the Latin, gypsum); hora (= ready-money: from the Hebrew heren); kall (Han: especially small change: from Heb. kal = lowly light); kis, kies, kiss (applied both to money in general and the receptacle or purse in which it is carried); lowe, love (Han.); mepaie (from the Fr., payer) mesumme, linke mesumme (= counterfeit money); moos (from Heb., mëo = a little stone); pich, picht, or pech; staub (= dust).

1599. Shakspeare, Henry V., Act ii. Chorus. These corrupted men … have for the gilt of France (O guilt, indeed) Confirmed conspiracy.

1714. Memoirs of John Hall (4th ed.), p. 9. And from thence conducted (provided he has gilt) over the way to Hell.

1885. Daily News, 25 May, p. 3, c. 1. Disputatious like mobs grouped together to discuss whether Charrington or Crowder had the most gilt.

2. subs. (old).—A thief; a pick-lock; also gilt- or rum-dubber, gilter, etc.

1669. Nicker Nicked in Harl. Misc. (ed. Park), ii., 108 (given in list of names of thieves).

1673. Character of a Quack Astrologer. For that purpose he maintains as strict a correspondence with gilts and lifters.

1676. Warning for Housekeepers, p. 3. The gilter is one that hath all sorts of picklocks and false keys.

1680. Cotton, Complete Gamester, p. 333. Shoals of muffs, hectors, setters, gilts, pads, biters, etc. … may all pass under the general appellation of snobs.

3. (thieves’).—Formerly a pick-lock or skeleton key; now a crow-bar. For synonyms, see Jemmy.

1839. W. H. Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard, p. 183 (ed. 1840). We shall have the whole village upon us while you’re striking the jigger. Use the gilt, man!

To take the gilt off the gingerbread, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To destroy an illusion; to discount heavily.

1884. Hawley Smart, From Post to Finish, p. 171. You see we had a rattling good year all round last, bar the Dancing Master. He took the gilt off the gingerbread considerably.

Gilt-dubber, see gilt, sense 2.

Gilt-edged, adj. (American).—First-class; the best of its kind; a latter-day superlative. For synonyms, see A1 and Fizzing.

c. 1889. Chicago Tribune (quoted in Slang, Jargon, and Cant). He’s a gilt-edged idiot to play the game.

1891. Standard, 18 June, p. 2, c. 1. ‘Gilt-edged mutton’ is the latest of glorified and ‘boomed’ American products.

1891. Tit Bits, 8 Aug., p. 286, c. 2. Another accomplishment, peculiar to the gilt-edged academy, is learning to eat asparagus, oranges, grapes, etc.

Gilter, see gilt, sense 2.

Gilt-tick, subs. (costermongers’). Gold.

Gimbal- (or gimber-) Jawed, adj. (common).—Loquacious; talking nineteen to the dozen (q.v.). [Gimbals are a combination of rings for free suspension; hence applied to persons the joints of whose jaws are loose in speech.]

Gimcrack (Gincrack, or Jimcrack), subs. (old).—1. A showy simpleton, male or female; a dandy (q.v.).

1618. Beaumont and Fletcher, Loyal Subject, iv., 3. These are fine gimcracks; hey, here comes another, a flagon full of wine in his hand.

1637. Fletcher, Elder Brother, iii., 3. You are a handsome and a sweet young lady, And ought to have a handsome man yoked to ye. An understanding too; this is a gimcrack That can get nothing but new fashions on you.

1706. Mrs. Centlivre, Basset Table, II., Works (1872), i., 122. The philosophical gimcrack.

2. (colloquial).—A showy trifle; anything pretty to look at but of very little worth.

1632. Chapman and Shirley, The Ball, Act iv. Lu. There remains, To take away one sample. Wi. Another gimcrack?

1678. Butler, Hudibras, pt. 3, ch. i. Rifled all his pokes and fobs. Cf., gimcracks, whims, and jiggumbobs.

1698–1700. Ward, London Spy, pt. 7, p. 148. I suppose there being little else to lose except scenes, machines, or some such jim-cracks.

1843. Thackeray, Irish Sketch Book, ch. i. There was the harp of Brian Boru, and the sword of some one else, and other cheap old gimcracks with their corollary of lies.

1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 63. Such rum-looking gimcracks, my pippin.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. A gimcrack also means a person who has a turn for mechanical contrivances. [146]

4. (venery).—The female pudendum. [A play on sense 2, and crack, (q.v.).] For synonym, see Monosyllable.

1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ch. ix. No shops so beautiful to look at as the Brighton gimcrack shops, and the fruit shops, and the market.

1891. W. C. Russell, An Ocean Tragedy, p. 30. Soberly clothed with nothing more gimcrack in the way of finery upon him than a row of waistcoat-buttons.

1892. Tit Bits, 19 Mar., p. 425 c. 2. A large cabinet or wardrobe, beautifully carved, and very substantial, no gimcrack work.

Gimcrackery, subs. (colloquial).—The world of gimcrack (q.v.).

1884. A. Forbes, in Eng. Illustr. Mag., Jan., p. 230. The inner life of the Empire was a strange mixture of rottenness and gimcrackery.

Gimlet-eye, subs. (common).—A squint-eye; a piercer (q.v.). Fr.: des yeux en trou de pine.

Gimlet-eyed, adj. (common).—Squinting, or squinny-eyed; cock-eyed. As in the old rhyme: ‘Gimlet eye, sausage nose, Hip awry, bandy toes.’

Gimmer, subs. (Scots’).—An old woman. A variant of ‘cummer.’

Gin, subs. (Australian).—An Australian native woman.

1857. Kingsley, Two Years Ago, ch. xiii. An Australian settler’s wife bestows on some poor slaving gin a cast-off French bonnet.

Gin-and-gospel Gazette, subs. phr. (journalists’).—The Morning Advertiser: as the organ of the Licensed Victualling and Church of England party. Also the Tap-tub and beer-and-bible gazette.

Gin-and-Tidy, adv. phr. (American).—Decked out in ‘best bib and tucker.’ A pun on ‘neat spirits.’

Gin-crawl, subs. (common).—A tipple (q.v.) on gin.

1892. A. Chevalier, ‘The Little Nipper.’ I used to do a gin crawl ev’ry night, An’ very, very often come ’ome tight.

Gingambobs (or Jiggumbobs), subs. (common).—1. Toys; baubles.

Ginger, subs. (common).—1. A fast, showy horse; a beast that looks figged (q.v.).

2. (common).—A red-haired person; carrots (q.v.). [Whence the phrase (venery) ‘Black for beauty, ginger for pluck.’]

1885. Miss Tennant in Eng. Illustrated Magazine, June, p. 605. The policemen are well known to the boys, and appropriately named by them. There is ‘Jumbo,’ too stout to run; ginger, the red-haired.

3. (common).—Spirit; dash; go (q.v.). To want ginger = to lack energy and pluck (q.v.).

1888. The World, 13 May. You will remark that your spinal column is requiring a hinge, and that considerable ginger is departing from your resolution to bear up and enjoy yourself. [147]

1891. Gunter, Miss Nobody of Nowhere, p. 124. If father objects send him to me, I’ll take the ginger out of him in short order.

1892. R. L. Stevenson and L. Osbourne, The Wrecker; p. 207. Give her ginger, boys.

Adj. (common).—Red-haired; foxy (q.v.); judas-haired (q.v.). Also ginger-pated, ginger-hackled, and gingery.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Red-haired; a term borrowed from the cock-pit, where red cocks are called gingers.

1839. H. Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard, ch. xii. Somebody may be on the watch—perhaps that old ginger-hackled Jew.

1852. Dickens, Bleak House, ch. xix., p. 160. The very learned gentleman who has cooled the natural heat of his gingery complexion in pools and fountains of law, until he has become great in knotty arguments for term-time.

1878. M. E. Braddon, Cloven Foot, ch. iv. The landlady was a lean-looking widow, with a false front of gingery curls.

Gingerbread, subs. (old).—1. Money: e.g., ‘He has the gingerbread’ = he is rich.

1864. Standard, 13 Dec. We do not find … the word gingerbread used for money, as we have heard it both before and within the last six months. The origin of the use of the word may probably be the old fairy legends wherein the coin obtained over night from the elves was usually found in the morning to have turned into little gingerbread cakes.

Adj. (colloquial).—Showy but worthless; tinsel. Fr., en pain d’épice. Gingerbread work (nautical) = carved and gilded decorations; gingerbread quarters (nautical) = luxurious living.

1757. Smollett, Compendium of Voyages and Travels. The rooms are too small and too much decorated with carving and gilding, which is a kind of gingerbread work.

Gingerly, adj. and adv. (old: now recognised).—As adj., delicate; fastidious; dainty; as adv., with great care; softly.

1533. Udal, Floures for Latine Spekynge. We stayghe and prolonge our goyng, with a nyce or tendre and softe, delicate, or gingerly pace.

c. 1563. Jacke Jugeler, p. 40 (ed. Grosart). We used to call her at home Dame Coye, a pretie gingerlie pice [piece].

1592. Nashe, Pierce Penilesse, in Wks., ii., 32. That lookes as simperingly as if she were besmeared, and sits it as gingerly as if she were dancing the Canaries.

1611. Chapman, May-Day, Act iii., p. 294 (Plays, 1874). Come, come, gingerly; for God’s sake, gingerly.

1759–67. Sterne, Tristram Shandy, vol. V., ch. v. My mother was going very gingerly in the dark.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. To go gingerly to work, i.e., to attempt a thing gently, or cautiously.

1874. Mrs. H. Wood, Johnny Ludlow, 1 S. 12, p. 207. The Squire went in gingerly, as if he had been treading on a spiked ploughshare.

Ginger-pop, subs. (colloquial).—1. Ginger-beer.

1887. Dagonet, Referee, 7 Nov., p. 7, c. 3. Ere her bull-dog I could stop, She had called a ginger-pop.

Ginger-snap, subs. (American).—A hot-tempered person, especially one with carrotty hair. [148]

Gingham, subs. (common).—An umbrella; specifically one of this material. For synonyms, see Mushroom.

1868. Miss Braddon, Trail of the Serpent, Bk. I., ch. vii. Mr. Peters therefore took immediate possession by planting his honest gingham in a corner of the room.

1889. Sportsman, 2 Feb. It would really put a premium on the many little mistakes of ownership concerning ginghams at present so common.

Gingle-boy, subs. (old).—A coin; latterly a gold piece. Also Gingler. See Actual and Canary.

1622. Massinger and Dekker, Virgin Martyr, ii., 2. The sign of the gingleboys hangs at the door of our pockets.

Gingumbobs. See Gingambobs.

Ginicomtwig, verb. (venery).—To copulate. For synonyms, see Ride.

1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, Scuotere il pellicione. To ginicomtwig or occupie a woman.

Gin-lane (or Trap), subs. (common).—1. The throat. For synonyms, see Gutter-alley. Gin-trap, also = the mouth. For synonyms, see Potato-trap.

1827. Egan, Anecdotes of the Turf, p. 67. Never again could … he feel his ivories loose within his gin-trap.

1839. Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard [1889], p. 8. Let me advise you on no account to fly to strong waters for consolation, Joan. One nail drives out another, it’s true; but the worst nail you can employ is a coffin nail. Gin Lane’s the nearest road to the churchyard.

Gin-mill, subs. (American).—A drinking saloon. For synonyms, see Lush-crib.

1872. Belgravia, Dec. ‘A Presidential Election.’ Then goes off to rejoin his comrades, to adjourn to the nearest gin-mill.

Ginnified, subs. (common).—Dazed, or stupid, with liquor.

Ginnums, subs. (common).—An old woman: especially one fond of drink.

Ginny, subs. (old).—A housebreaker’s tool; see quot., 1754.

1754. Scoundrels’ Dict. An instrument to lift up a grate or grating, to steal what is in the window. ‘The ninth is a ginny, to lift up the grate, If he sees but the Lurry, with his Hooks he will bait.’

Gin-penny, subs. (costermongers’).—Extra profit, generally spent in drink.

Gin-slinger, subs. (common).—A gin-drinker. For synonyms, see Lushington.

Gin-spinner, subs. (old).—A distiller; a dealer in spirituous liquors. Cf., Ale-spinner.

1827. Egan, Anecdotes of the Turf, p. 179. Just as she was about to toddle to the gin-spinner’s for the ould folk and lisp out for a quartern of Max.

1888. F. Green, in Notes and Queries, 7 S., vi., 153. I have always understood that a gin spinner is a distiller who makes gin, but could never find out why so called.

Gin-twist, subs. (common).—A drink composed of gin and sugar, with lemon and water.

1841. Comic Almanac, p. 271 What, for instance, but gin-twist could have brought Oliver Twist to light? [149]

Gin Up, verb. (American).—To work hard; to make things lively or hum (q.v.). For synonyms, see Wire in.

1887. Francis, Saddle and Moccassin. They were ginning her up, that’s a fact.

Gip, subs. (American thieves’).—1. A thief. 2. Also (Cambridge University) a college servant. See Gyp. For synonyms, see Thieves.

Girl, subs. (common).—1. A prostitute; in. pl. = the stock in trade of a brothel. See Barrack Hack, Tart, and Gay. Fr., fille.