Gable, subs. (common).—The head. Also Gable-end. For synonyms, see
Crumpet.
Gabster, subs. (common).—A voluble talker, whether eloquent or vain;
one having the gift of the gab (q.v.).
Gab-string.—See Gob-string.
Gaby (also Gabbey and Gabby), subs. (common).—A fool; a babbler; a
boor. Icl. gapi = a foolish person, from gapa = to gape.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1856. T. Hughes, Tom Brown’s School Days, pt. 1, ch. iii. Two boys,
who stopped close by him, and one of whom, a fat gaby of a fellow,
pointed at him and called him young ‘mammy-sick.’
1859. H. Kingsley, Geoffrey Hamlyn, ch. ix. Don’t stand laughing
there like a great gaby.
1875. Ouida, Signa, vol. I., ch. iv., p. 47. ‘You have never dried
your clothes, Bruno,’ said his sister-in-law, ‘What a gaby a man is
without a wife!’
Gad, subs. (common).—An idle slattern. An abbreviation of gad-about
(q.v.).
Intj. (common).—An abbreviation of by Gad! Cf. Agad, Egad—themselves
corruptions of by God, Lit.
On the gad, adv. phr. (old).—1. On the spur of the moment.
1605. Shakspeare, Lear, i., 2. All this is done upon the gad.