tion was mar, saying epicemar for epicier, cafemar for cafe. In 1823, GIFFLE-GAFFLE, nonsense. See CHAFF. Icelandic, GAFLA. GIG, fun, frolic, a spree. Old French, GIGUE, a jig, a romp. The mind delights on, when 'tis in prime twig." -Randall's Diary, 1820. "No heirs have I," said mournful Matt; Cried out, "No hairs? don't fret at that, GIGLAMPS, spectacles. In my first edition I stated this to be a University term. Mr Cuthbert Bede, however, in a communication to Notes and Queries, of which I have availed myself in the present edition, says "If the compiler has taken this epithet from Verdant Green, Í can only say that I consider the word not to be a University' word in general, but as only due to the inventive genius of Mr Bouncer in particular." The term, however, has been adopted, and is now in general use. GILL, a homely woman; "Jack and GILL," &c.-Ben Jonson. GILLS, the lower part of the face.-Bacon. "To grease one's GILLS," "to have a good feed," or make a hearty meal. GILLS, a shirt collar. GILT, money. German, GELD; Dutch, GELT. a spruce GIMCRACK, a bijou, a slim piece of mechanism. Old Slang for ": wench."-New Bailey. "GIN-AND-GOSPEL GAZETTE," the Morning Advertiser, so called from its being the organ of the Dissenting party, and of the Licensed Victuallers' Association. Sometimes termed the TAP-TUB, or the 'TIZER. GINGER, a showy, fast horse-as if he had been FIGGED with GINGER under his tail. GINGERLY, to do anything with great care.-Cotgrave. GINGER HACKLED, having flaxen light yellow hair.-See HACKLE. "GIRNIGO-GABY THE CAT'S COUSIN," a reproachful expression said to a crying child. GIVE, to strike, to scold; "I'll GIVE it to you," i.e., I will thrash you. GLADSTONE, cheap claret, since that popular Chancellor of the Exchequer has reduced the duty on French wines. GIFT, any article which has been stolen, and afterwards sold at a low price. GLASGOW MAGISTRATE, a salt herring.-Scotch. GLAZE, glass; generally applied to windows. GLIB, a tongue; "slacken your GLIB," i.e., "loosen your tongue." GLOAK, a man.-Scotch. GLUM, sulky, stern; "to look GLUM," to appear annoyed or disconcerted. GLUMP, to sulk. GLUMPISH, of a stubborn, sulky temper. GNOSTIC, a knowing one, or sharper."-Nearly obsolete in this vulgur sense. GO, a Go of gin, a quartern of that liquor. (This word, as applied to a measure of liquor, is stated by a correspondent to have arisen from the following circumstance:-Two well-known actors once met at the bar of a tavern to have a "wet" together. "One more glass and then We'll GO was repeated so often on either hand, that in the end Go was out of the question with both of them, and so the word passed into a saying;) GO is also synonymous with circumstance or occurrence; a rummy Go," and " a great Go," signify curious and remarkable occurrences; "no Go," no good; "here's a pretty Go!" here's a trouble; Go, a term in the game of cribbage; "to Go the jump," to enter a house by the window; "all the Go," in fashion.-See LITTLE GO; also CALL-A-GO. 66 "Gemmen (says he,) you all well know And rightly named, 'tis-'quite a treat."" -Jack Randall's Diary, 1820. “GO DUE NORTH,” to become bankrupt, to go to Whitecross Street. GOB, the mouth; mucus, or saliva.-North. Sometimes used for GAB, talk "There was a man called Job, Dwelt in the land of Uz; He had a good gift of the GOB; Gaelic-GAB and GOB, a mouth. See GAB. GOB, a portion. ZACH. BOYD. "GOD BLESS THE DUKE OF ARGYLE!" a Scottish insiuuation made when one shrugs his shoulders, of its being caused by parasites or cutaneous affections. See scOTCH FIDDLE, SCOTCH GREYS. It is said to have been originally the thankful exclamation of the Glasgow folks, at finding a certain row of iron posts, erected by his grace in that city to mark the division of his property, very convenient to rub against. GLIM LURK, a begging paper, giving a certified account of a dreadful fire -which never happened. GO-ALONG, a thief.-Household Words, No. 183. GODS, the people in the upper gallery of a theatre; "up amongst the GODS," a seat amongst the low persons in the gallery-so named from the high position of the gallery, and the blue sky generally painted on the ceiling of the theatre; termed by the French, PARADIS. GODS, the quadrats used by printers in throwing on the imposing stone, similar to the movement in casting dice.-Printer's term. GO IT, a term of encouragement, implying, "keep it up!" Sometimes amplified to Go IT, YE CRIPPLES; said to have been a facetious rendering of the last line of Virgil's Eclogues "Ite domum Saturæ, Venit Hesperus, ite capella; " or, "GO IT, YE CRIPPLES, CRUTCHES ARE CHEAP." GOLDFINCH, a sovereign. GOLGOTHA, a hat, "place of a skull." Hence the "Don's gallery," at St Mary's, Cambridge.- Vide SKULL. GOL-MOL, noise, commotion.-Anglo-Indian. GOLOPSHUS, splendid, delicious, luscious.-Norwich. GONNOF, or GUN, a fool, a bungler, an amateur pickpocket. A corre spondent thinks this may be a corruption of gone off, on the analogy of GO-ALONG; but the term is really as old as Chaucer's time. During Kett's rebellion in Norfolk, in the reign of Edward VI., a song was sung by the insurgents in which the term occurs : "The country GNOFFES, Hob, Dick, and Hick, With clubbes and clouted shoon, Shall fill up Dussyn dale With slaughter'd bodies soone." GOOD-WOMAN, a not uncommon public-house sign, representing a woman without a head,--the ungallant allusion is that she cannot scold. The HONEST LAWYER, another sign, is depicted in the same manner. GOOSE, a tailor's pressing iron.-Originally a Slang term, but now in most dictionaries. GOOSE; "Paddy's GOOSE," i.e., the white swan. GOOSE, "to cook his GOOSE," to kill him; the same as "to give him his GRUEL," or "settle his HASH." GOOSE, "to get the GOOSE," "to be goosed," signifies to be hissed while en the stage. The BIG-BIRD, the terror of actors.-See BIG-BIRD.— Theatrical. GOOSE, to ruin, or spoil; to hiss a play.—Theatrical. GOOSEBERRY, to "play up old GOOSEBERRY with any one, to defeat or silence a person in a quick or summary manner. GOOSECAP, a booby, or noodle.-Devonshire. GOOSER, a settler, or finishing blow. GO-OVER, in clerical Slang, signifies to join the Church of Rome. GORMED, a Norfolk corruption of a profane oath. So used by Mr Peggotty, one of Dickens's characters. GORGER, a swell, a well-dressed, or gorgeous man-probably derived from K that word. Sometimes employed in the sense of an employer, or prin cipal, as the manager of a theatre. GOSPEL-GRINDER, a city missionary, or tract-distributor. GOSS, a hat-from the gossamer silk with which modern hats are made. GOSS, "to give a man Goss," to requite for an injury, to beat, or kill him. GOUROCK HAM, salt herrings. Gourock, on the Clyde, about twenty five miles from Glasgow, was formerly a great fishing village.—Scotch. GOVERNMENT SIGN-POST, the gallows. GOVERNOR, a father, a master or superior person, an elder; "which way, GUV'NER, to Cheapside?" GOWLER, a dog.-North Country Cant. Query, GROWLER. GOWNSMAN, a student at one of the universities. A person of the town, not connected with the college, would be termed a SNOB. “GOWN AND TOWN ROW," a fight between the students and townsmen at Cambridge. GRAB, to clutch, or seize; GRABBED, caught, apprehended. GRABBER, the hand. GRACE-CARD, the six of hearts, so termed in Ireland. A Kilkenny gentleman, named Grace, being solicited, with promises of royal favour, to espouse the cause of William III., gave the following answer, written on the back of the six of hearts, to an emissary of Marshal Schomberg's, who had been commissioned to make the proposal to him:"Tell your master I despise his offer; and that honour and conscience are dearer to a gentleman than all the wealth and titles a prince can bestow." GRAFT, to work; where are you GRAFTING?" i.e., where do you live, or work? GRANNY, importance, knowledge, pride; “take the GRANNY off them as has white hands," viz., remove their self-conceit.-Mayhew, vol. i., p.364. GRANNY, a knot which will not hold, from its being wrongly and clumsily tied.-Sea. GRANNY, to know, or recognise; "do ye GRANNY the bloke?" do you know the man? GRAPPLING IRONS, fingers.-Sea. GRASS, "gone to GRASS," dead,—a coarse allusion to burial; absconded, or disappeared suddenly; "oh, go to GRASS," a common answer to a troublesome or inquisitive person,-possibly a corruption of "go to GRACE," meaning, of course, a directly opposite fate. GRASS-COMBER, a country fellow, a haymaker. GRASS-WIDOW, an unmarried mother; a deserted mistress. In the United States, during the gold fever in California, it was common for an adventurer to put both his wife (termed in his absence a GRASSWIDOW) and his children to school during his absence. GRAVEL, to confound, to bother; "I'm GRAVELLED," i.e., perplexed or confused.-Old. Also, to prostrate, beat to the ground. GRAVEL-RASH, a scratched face,-telling its tale of a drunken fall. A person subject to this is called a GRAVEL-GRINDER. GRAVESEND SWEETMEATS, shrimps. GRAY-COAT PARSON, a lay impropriator, or lessee of great tithes. GRAYS, or SCOTCH GRAYS, lice.-Scotch. GRAY, a halfpenny, with either two "heads" or two "tails"-both sides alike. Low gamblers use GRAYS. They cost from 2d. to 6d. each. GREASE-SPOT, a minute remnant, the only distinguishable remains of an antagonist after a terrific contest. GREASING a man is bribing; SOAPING is flattering him. GREEKS, the low Irish. ST GILES'S GREEK, Slang or Cant language. Cotgrave gives MERRIE GREEK as a definition for a roistering fellow, a drunkard. The Greeks have always been regarded as a jolly, luxurious race; so much so, that the Latins employed the verb Græcari (lit. to play the GREEK) to designate fine living and free potations, a sense in which Horace frequently uses it; while Shakspeare often mentions the MERRY GREEKS; and " as merry as a GRIG (or GREEK) was long a favourite allusion in old English authors.-See MEDICAL GREEK. GREENWICH GOOSE, a pensioner of the Naval Hospital. GREEN, ignorant, not wide-awake, inexperienced.-Shakspeare. "Do you GRIDDLER, a person who sings in the streets without a printed copy of the words. Seven Dials. GRIDIRON, a County Court summons. "GRIDIRON AND DOUGH-BOYS," the flag of the United States, in allusion to the stars and stripes.-Sea. GRIEF, "to come to GRIEF," to meet with an accident, be ruined. GRIFFIN, in India, a newly-arrived cadet; general for an inexperienced youngster. "Fast" young men in London frequently term an umbrella a GRIFFIN. GRIND, "to take a GRIND," i.e., a walk, or constitutional-University. GRIND, to work up for an examination, to cram with a GRINDER, or private tutor.-Medical, but commencing to be general. GRINDER, a tooth. GRINDOFF, a miller. GRIPES, the stomach-ache.-See TRIPES. GROGGY, tipsy; when a prize-fighter becomes "weak on his pins," and nearly beaten, he is said to be GROGGY-Pugilistic. The same term is applied to horses in a similar condition. Old English, AGGROGGYD weighed down, oppressed -Prompt. Parvulorum. Or it may only mean that unsteadiness of gait consequent on imbibing too much GROG. |