1819. Moore, Tom Crib, xvi. Thus Theocritus, in his Milling Match,
calls Amycus a glutton, which is well known to be the classical
phrase at Moulsey-Hurst for one who, like Amycus, takes a deal of
punishment before he is satisfied.
1891. Licensed Vict. Mirror, 30 Jan., p. 6, c. 3. He was known to
be an awfully heavy hitter with both hands, a perfect glutton at
taking punishment.
Gnarler, subs. (thieves’).—A watch dog. For synonyms, see Tike.
Gnasp, verb. (old).—To vex. For synonyms, see Rile.
1728. Bailey, English Dict. s.v.
Gnoff.—See Gonnof.
Gnostic, subs. (colloquial).—A knowing one; a downy cove (q.v.); a
whipster (q.v.). [From the Gr., gnosis = knowledge.]
1819. Moore, Tom Crib, p. 27. Many of the words used by the Canting
Beggars in Beaumont and Fletcher’s Masque are still to be heard
among the gnostics of Dyot Street and Tothill Fields.
adj. (colloquial).—Knowing, artful (q.v.).
Gnostically, adv. (colloquial).—Knowingly.
1825. Scott, St. Ronan’s Well, ch. iv. He was tog’d gnostically
enough.
Go, subs. (common).—1. A drink; specifically a quartern of gin.
(Formerly a go-down, but Cf., quot. 1811.)
[For other combinations see abroad—all fours—aloft—aunt—baby—back
on—bad—bail—baldheaded—bath—batter—bedfordshire—beggar’s
bush—better—blazes—blind—board—bodkin—bulge—bungay—bury—bust—by-by—call—camp—chump—college—cracked—dead
broke—devil—ding—ding-dong—dock—doss—drag—flouch—flue—gamble—glaze—glory
—gloves—grain—grass—ground—hairyfordshire—hall—halves—hang—hell—high
fly—high
toby—hooks—hoop—jericho—jump—kitchen—man—majority—mill—murphy—pace—pieces—pile—pot—queen—raker—range—rope-walk—salt
river—shallow—shop—slow—smash—snacks—snooks—spout—star-gazing—sweet
violets—top—walker’s bus—west—whole
animal—woodbine—woolgathering—wrong.]
English Synonyms.—Bender; caulker; coffin nail; common-sewer; cooler;
crack; cry; damp; dandy; dash; dew-hank; dewdrop; dodger; drain; dram;
facer; falsh; gargle; gasp; go-down; hair of the dog, etc.; Johnny;
lip; liquor up; livener; lotion; lounce; modest quencher; muzzler; nail
from one’s coffin; night-cap; nip or nipper; nobbler; old crow; a one,
a two, or a three; out; peg; pick-me-up; pony; quencher; reviver;
rince; sensation; settler; shift; shove in the mouth; slug; small
cheque; smile; snifter; something damp; something short; swig;
thimbleful; tiddly; top up; tot; warmer; waxer; wet; whitewash; yard.
French Synonyms.—Un bourgeron (popular = a nip of brandy); un asticot
de cercueil (= a coffin-worm, a play on verre and bière); un coup
d’arrosoir (popular: a touch of the watering pot); un gargarisme
(popular: = a gargle [q.v.]); un galopin (= a pony [q.v.] of beer); un
larme (= a tear); un mistiche (thieves’); un misérable (popular: a
glass of spirits costing one sou; une demoiselle = two sous; un
monsieur = four sous; un poisson = five sous); un mince de chic
(popular: in contempt); une coquille de noix (popular = a thimbleful; a
very small go; a drain); un jeune homme (familiar = in capacity four
litres); un Kolback (popular = a small glass of brandy, or large glass
of wine); une flûte (familiar); un extravagant (popular = a long
drink); un fil (= a drain); un distingué (popular); une douleur
(popular = a comforter or pick-me-up); un ballon (popular).
Italian Synonym.—Schioppa (= a long drink: also a large beer glass).
Spanish Synonyms.—Chisguete (colloquial); enjuagadientes (also = a
mouthful of water or wine for rinsing the mouth after eating); espolada
(= a long drink).
Portuguese Synonym.—Quebrado (= broken: a small glass).
1690. D’Urfey, Collin’s Walk, canto 4. And many more whose quality
Forbids their toping openly, Will privately, on good occasion, Take
six go-downs on reputation.
1793. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Go-shop.... The Queen’s Head in
Duke’s Court.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum. Go-shop, s.v. The Queen’s Head, in
Duke’s Court, Bow Street, Covent Garden, frequented by the under
players, where gin and water was sold in three-halfpenny bowls,
called goes; the gin was called Arrack.
1823. Jon. Bee, Dict. of the Turf, s.v.
1835. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, The Streets: Night. Chops, kidneys,
rabbits, oysters, stout, cigars, and goes innumerable, are served
up amidst a noise and confusion of smoking, running,
knife-clattering, and waiter-chattering, perfectly indescribable.
1841. Punch, Vol. I., p. 11, c. 1. Waiter, a go of Brett’s best
alcohol.
1849. Thackeray, Hoggarty Diamond, ch. ii. Two more chairs, Mary,
two more tumblers, two more hot waters, and two more goes of gin!
1850. Smedley, Frank Fairleigh, p. 54. Drinking alternate goes of
gin and water with a dustman for the purpose of insinuating myself
into the affections of Miss Cinderella Smut, his interesting
sister.
1853. Diogenes, Vol. II., p. 271. Shall I spend it in theatres?
shows? In numerous alcohol goes?
1870. Figaro, 28 May. Their musical performances are evidently
inspired by goes of gin.
1883. Echo, 7 Feb., p. 4, c. 3. Witness asked him what he had been
drinking. He replied, ‘Two half-goes of rum hot and a half-pint of
beer.’
2. (colloquial).—An incident; an occurrence: e.g., a rum go = a strange
affair, or queer start; a pretty go = a startling business; a capital
go = a pleasant business.
1803. Kenney, Raising the Wind, i., 3. Ha! ha! ha! Capital go,
isn’t it?
1820. Jack Randall’s Diary. Gemmen (says he), you all well know The
joy there is whene’er we meet; It’s what I call the primest go, And
rightly named, ’tis—quite a treat.
1835. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, p. 251. A considerable bustle and
shuffling of feet was then heard upon the stage, accompanied by
whispers of ‘Here’s a pretty go!—what’s to be done?’
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends. ‘Misadventures at Margate.’ ‘O,
Mrs. Jones,’ says I, ‘look here! Ain’t this a pretty go!’
1841. Punch, vol. I., p. 162. Stating his conviction that this was
rayther a rummy go.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, ch. lxxiii. Master Frank Clavering ...
had only time to ejaculate the words, ‘Here’s a jolly go!’ and to
disappear sniggering.
1869. Mrs. H. Wood, Roland Yorke, ch. xli. ‘I am about to try what
a month or two’s absence will do for me.’ ‘And leave us to old
Brown?—that will be a nice go!’
1876. George Eliot, Daniel Deronda, ch. vii. A rum go as ever I
saw.
1880. G. R. Sims, Three Brass Balls, pledge xvi. He ... exclaimed,
‘Well, I’m dashed if this isn’t a rum go!’
1883. R. L. Stevenson, Treasure Island, p. 55. A pretty rum go if
squire aint to talk for Doctor Livesey.
1891. N. Gould, Double Event, p. 305. ‘It was a near go,’ said
Jack.
3. (common).—The fashion; the cheese (q.v.); the correct thing.
Generally in the phrase all the go.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. He is quite the go, he is quite
varment, he is prime, he is bang up.
1821. Egan, Tom and Jerry [ed. 1891], p. 35. Tom was the go among
the goes.
1835. Haliburton (‘Sam Slick’), The Clockmaker, 3 S., ch. xiv.
Whatever is the go in Europe will soon be the cheese here.
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, I., 251. It was rather the go With
Pilgrims and Saints in the Second Crusade.
1846. Punch, vol. X., p. 163. From lowly Queen’s quadrangle, Where
muffins are the go.
1880. G. R. Sims, Ballads of Babylon (Beauty and Beast). And all
day long there’s a big crowd stops To look at the lady who’s all
the go.
4. (colloquial).—Life; spirit; energy; enterprise; impetus: e.g.,
plenty of go = full of spirit and dash. Fr.: avoir du chien.
1825. The English Spy, i., 178. She’s only fit to carry a dean or a
bishop. No go in her.
1865. Macdonald, Alec Forbes of How-glen, II., 269. All night
Tibbie Dyster had lain awake in her lonely cottage, listening to
the quiet heavy go of the water.
1882. Daily Telegraph, 9 Oct. Mr. Grossmith’s music is bright and
tripping, full of humour and go, as, under such circumstances,
music should be!
1883. Illustrated London News, 10 March, p. 242, c. 3. There was
any amount of dash and go in their rowing.
1887. Paton, Down the Islands. Barbadian may therefore be said to
mean a man with go and grit, energy and vim.
1889. Sportsman, 19 Jan. It all lent a certain zest and go to the
proceedings.
1890. Pall Mall Gaz., 21 Feb., p. 7, c. 1. There was so much
heartiness and go (so to speak) in the work that it reminded me of
what I had read about peasant proprietors labouring in Switzerland
and elsewhere under a Home Rule Government.