1835. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 1 S., ch. xv. Chock-full of spring,
like the wire end of a bran new pair of trouser galluses.
1848. Durivage, Stray Subjects, p. 168. If I wouldn’t spile his
picter bust my boots and gallowses.
1851–61. H. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, vol. I., p. 431. The
braces, which in some parts of the country are called ‘gallowses.’
c. 1852. Traits of American Humor, p. 58. Hole on, dod drot you,
wait till I unbutton my gallowses.
1864. James, etc., Italian-English Dict. Gallowses, batilla.
1883. G. A. S[ala], in Ill. Lond. News, Sept. 22, p. 275, c. i.
Braces (which, when I was young, used, in the north of England, to
be known by the expressive name of gallowses.)
Adv. (old).—Excessively; same as bloody, bleeding, (q.v.), etc. (As
adj.) great; uncommon; real.
c. 1551. L. Shepherd. John Bon in Arber’s Garner, Vol. IV., p. 109.
Ye, are much bound to God for such a spittle holiness. A gallows
gift!
1789. Parker, Life’s Painter, p. 120. Some they pattered flash with
gallows fun and joking.
1827. Egan, Anecdotes of the Turf, etc., p. 44. Then your blowen
will wax gallows haughty! [Also quoted in notes to Don Juan.]
1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford, p. 293. (ed. 1854). Ah, Dame Lobkin,
if so be as our little Paul vas a vith you, it would be a gallows
comfort to you in your latter hend!
1851–61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, III., 90. I’ll be
smothered if I’m going to look down that gallows long chimney.
1861. H. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, ch. xli. And the pleece come in, and
got gallus well kicked about the head.
1869. Greenwood, Seven Curses of London, p. 244. Put it on your
face so gallus thick that the devil himself won’t see through it.
Gallows-bird (also Newgate-bird), subs. (common).—1. A son of the rope;
an habitual criminal; a vagabond or scoundrel, old or young; a
crack-rope or wag-halter (Cotgrave); a gallows-clapper (Florio). Fr.,
gibier de Cayenne, or de potence.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. One that deserves hanging.
1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, ch. xi. That very gallows-bird were
enough to corrupt a whole ante-chamber of pages.