1885. Sportsman, June 23, p. 2, c. 4. The yearlings bred by Messrs.
Graham were offered to a rather select audience of buyers, though
the ring was surrounded by a fairly strong crowd of gapeseeds.
Gapped, ppl. adj. (old).—Worsted; floored (q.v. for synonyms).
1753. Richardson, Sir Chas. Grandison. I will never meet at
hard-edge with her; if I did ... I should be confoundedly gapped.
Gap-Stopper, subs. (old).—1. A whoremaster. For synonyms, see Molrower.
2. (venery).—The penis. [Gap = female pudendum]. For synonyms, see
Creamstick and Prick.
Gar. See by gar!
Garble, to garble the coinage, verb. phr. (old).—See quot. [Garble = to
pick and choose.]
1875. Jevons, Money, etc., p. 81. A practice amongst money-lenders
of picking out the newest coins of full weight for export or
re-melting, and passing the light ones into circulation.
Garden, subs. (various).—1. (greengrocers’, fruiterers’, etc.) = Covent
Garden Market; 2. (theatrical) = Covent Garden Theatre; 3. (diamond
merchants’) = Hatton Garden. Cf., House, Lane, etc.
[The Garden (= Covent Garden) was frequently used for the whole
neighbourhood, which was notorious as a place of strumpets and
stews. Thus, Garden-house = a brothel; Garden-goddess = a woman of
pleasure; Garden-gout = the pox or clap; Garden-whore = a low
prostitute, etc.]
1733. Bailey, Erasmus. When young men by whoring, as it commonly
falls out, get the pox, which, by the way of extenuation, they call
the Common Garden-gout.
1782. Geo. Parker, Humorous Sketches, p. 90 No more the Garden
female orgies view.
1851–61. W. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, Vol. I., p. 85. Not
only is the Garden itself all bustle and activity, but the buyers
and sellers stream to and from it in all directions, filling every
street in the vicinity.
1884. Jas. Payn, in Cornhill Mag., Mar., p. 257. She [Miss O’Neill]
talked of the Garden and ‘the Lane,’ and was very fond of
recitation.
1890. Tit-Bits, 29 Mar., p. 389, c. 1. Let me describe the Garden.
A long, straight street, stretching almost due north and south,
from Holborn Circus to Clerkenwell Road. Ibid. c. 2. The cut stones
are chiefly sold to the large dealers in the Garden.
2. (venery).—The female pudendum. [The simile is common to all nations,
ancient and modern. Shakspeare, in Sonnet 16, seems to play upon this
double meaning; e.g., Now stand you on the top of happy hours; And many
maiden-gardens, yet unset, With virtuous wish would bear you living
flowers.] Also garden of eden. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.
To put one in the garden, verb. phr. (thieves’).—To defraud a
confederate; to keep back part of the Regulars (q.v.), or Swag (q.v.).
Gardener, subs. (common).—1. An awkward coachman. [In allusion to the
gardener who on occasion drives the carriage.] Cf., Tea-kettle
Coachman.
1859. Sala, Twice Round the Clock. Noon: Par. I. He can drive
neither to the right nor to the left, nor backwards nor
forwards.... A sarcastic saloon omnibus driver behind jeeringly
bids him keep moving, accompanying the behest by the aggressive
taunt of gard’ner.
2. (venery).—The penis. Garden (q.v.) = female pudendum. Also
Garden-engine. For synonyms, see Creamstick and Prick.
Garden-gate, subs. phr. (rhyming).—1. A magistrate. For synonyms, see
Beak.