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.
On the gate, adv. phr. (thieves’).—On remand.
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.
Out of gathers, adv. phr. (colloquial).—In distress. Cf., Out at
elbows.
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).
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.)
1724. E. Coles, Eng. Dict. Gaudy days, college or Inns of Court
festivals.
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.
1803. Gradus ad Cantab., p. 122. Cut lectures ... give gaudies and
spreads.
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 (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.
1878. C. H. Wall, tr. Molière, ii., 197. Our big gawky of a
viscount.
Adj. (colloquial).—Lanky; awkward; stupid.
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.
1854. Leech, Pictures of Life and Character. How long have you been
gay?
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.