1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue Part 33

GILT, or RUM DUBBER. A thief who picks locks, so called from the gilt or picklock key: many of them are so expert, that, from the lock of a church door to that of the smallest cabinet, they will find means to open it; these go into reputable public houses, where, pretending business, they contrive to get into private rooms, up stairs, where they open any bureaus or trunks they happen to find there.

GIMBLET-EYED. Squinting, either in man or woman.

GIMCRACK, or JIMCRACK. A spruce wench; a gimcrack also means a person who has a turn for mechanical contrivances.

GIN SPINNER. A distiller.

GINGAMBOBS. Toys, bawbles; also a man's privities. See THINGAMBOBS.

GINGER-PATED, or GINGER-HACKLED. Red haired: a term borrowed from the c.o.c.kpit, where red c.o.c.ks are called gingers,

GINGERBREAD. A cake made of treacle, flour, and grated ginger; also money. He has the gingerbread; he is rich.

GINGERBREAD WORK. Gilding and carving: these terms are particularly applied by seamen on board Newcastle colliers, to the decorations of the sterns and quarters of West-Indiamen, which they have the greatest joy in defacing.

GINGERLY. Softly, gently, tenderly. To go gingerly to work: to attempt a thing gently, or cautiously.

GINNY. An instrument to lift up a great, in order to steal what is in the window. CANT.

GIP from gups a WOLF. A servant at college.

GIRDS. Quips, taunts, severe or biting reflections.

GIZZARD. To grumble in the gizzard; to be secretly displeased.

GLa.s.s EYES. A nick name for one wearing spectacles.

GLAYMORE. A Highland broad-sword; from the Erse GLAY, or GLAIVE, a sword; and MORE, great.

GLAZE. A window.

GLAZIER. One who breaks windows and shew-gla.s.ses, to steal goods exposed for sale. Glaziers; eyes. CANT.--Is your father a glazier; a question asked of a lad or young man, who stands between the speaker and the candle, or fire. If it is answered in the negative, the rejoinder is--I wish he was, that he might make a window through your body, to enable us to see the fire or light.

GLIB. Smooth, slippery. Glib tongued; talkative.

GLIM. A candle, or dark lantern, used in housebreaking; also fire. To glim; to burn in the hand. CANT.

GLIMFENDERS. Andirons. CANT.

GLIMFLASHY. Angry, or in a pa.s.sion. CANT.

GLIM JACK. A link-boy. CANT.

GLIMMER. Fire. CANT.

GLIMMERERS. Persons begging with sham licences, pretending losses by fire.

GLIMMS. Eyes.

GLIMSTICK. A candlestick. CANT.

GLOBE. Pewter. CANT.

GLOVES. To give any one a pair of gloves; to make them a present or bribe. To win a pair of gloves; to kiss a man whilst he sleeps: for this a pair of gloves is due to any lady who will thus earn them.

GLUEPOT. A parson: from joining men and women together in matrimony.

GLUM. Sullen.

GLUTTON. A term used by bruisers to signify a man who will bear a great deal of beating.

GNARLER. A little dog that by his barking alarms the family when any person is breaking into the house.

GO, THE. The dash. The mode. He is quite the go, he is quite varment, he is prime, he is bang up, are synonimous expressions.

GLYBE. A writing. CANT.

GO BETWEEN. A pimp or bawd.

GO BY THE GROUND. A little short person, man or woman.

GO SHOP. 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. The go, the fas.h.i.+on; as, large hats are all the go.

GOADS. Those who wheedle in chapmen for horse-dealers.

GOAT. A lascivious person. Goats jigg; making the beast with two backs, copulation.

GOB. The mouth; also a bit or morsel: whence gobbets.

Gift of the gob; wide-mouthed, or one who speaks fluently, or sings well.

GOB STRING. A bridle.

GOBBLER. A turkey c.o.c.k.

G.o.dFATHER. He who pays the reckoning, or answers for the rest of thecompany: as, Will you stand G.o.dfather, and we will take care of the brat; i.e. repay you another time. Jurymen are also called G.o.dfathers, because they name the crime the prisoner before them has been guilty of, whether felony, pet.i.t larceny, &c.

GOG. All-a-gog; impatient, anxious, or desirous of a thing.

GOG AND MAGOG. Two giants, whose effigies stand on each side of the clock in Guildhall, London; of whom there is a tradition, that, when they hear the clock strike one, on the first of April, they will walk down from their places.

GOGGLES. Eyes: see OGLES. Goggle eyes; large prominent eyes. To goggle; to stare.

GOING UPON THE DUB. Going out to break open, or pick the locks of, houses.

GOLD DROPPERS. Sharpers who drop a piece of gold, which they pick up in the presence of some unexperienced person, for whom the trap is laid, this they pretend to have found, and, as he saw them pick it up, they invite him to a public house to partake of it: when there, two or three of their comrades drop in, as if by accident, and propose cards, or some other game, when they seldom fail of stripping their prey.

GOLD FINDER. One whose employment is to empty necessary houses; called also a tom-t.u.r.d-man, and night-man: the latter, from that business being always performed in the night.

GOLDFINCH. One who has commonly a purse full of gold.