Part 32 (1/2)

GAMES. Thin, ill-shapped legs: a corruption of the French word jambes. Fancy gambs; sore or swelled legs.

GAMBADOES. Leathern cases of stiff leather, used in Devons.h.i.+re instead of boots; they are fastened to the saddle, and admit the leg, shoe and all: the name was at first jocularly given.

GAMBLER. A sharper, of tricking, gamester.

GAME. Any mode of robbing. The toby is now a queer game; to rob on the highway is now a bad mode of acting. This observation is frequently made by thieves; the roads being now so well guarded by the horse patrole; and gentlemen travel with little cash in their pockets.

GAME. Bubbles or pigeons drawn in to be cheated. Also, at bawdy-houses, lewd women. Mother have you any game; mother, have you any girls? To die game; to suffer at the gallows without shewing any signs of fear or repentance. Game pullet; a young wh.o.r.e, or forward girl in the way of becoming one.

GAMON. To humbug. To deceive, To tell lies. What rum gamon the old file pitched to the flat; how finely the knowing old fellow humbugged the fool.

GAMON AND PATTER. Common place talk of any profession; as the gamon and patter of a horse-dealer, sailor, &c.

GAN. The mouth or lips. Cant.

GANDER MONTH. That month in which a man's wife-lies in: wherefore, during that time, husbands plead a sort of indulgence in matters of gallantry.

GANG. A company of men, a body of sailors, a knot of thieves, pickpockets, &c. A gang of sheep trotters; the four feet of a sheep.

GAOLER'S COACH. A hurdle: traitors being usually conveyed from the gaol, to the place of execution, on a hurdle or sledge.

GAP STOPPER. A wh.o.r.emaster.

GAPESEED. Sights; any thing to feed the eye. I am come abroad for a little gapeseed.

GARNISH. An entrance fee demanded by the old prisoners of one just committed to gaol.

GARRET, or UPPER STORY. The head. His garret, or upper story, is empty, or unfurnished; i.e. he has no brains, he is a fool.

GARRET ELECTION. A ludicrous ceremony, practised every new parliament: it consists of a mock election of two members to represent the borough of Garret (a few straggling cottages near Wandsworth in Surry); the qualification of a voter is, having enjoyed a woman in the open air within that district: the candidates are commonly fellows of low humour, who dress themselves up in a ridiculous manner. As this brings a prodigious concourse of people to Wandsworth, the publicans of that place jointly contribute to the expence, which is sometimes considerable.

GAWKEY. A tall, thin, awkward young man or woman.

GAYING INSTRUMENT. The p.e.n.i.s.

GAZEBO. An elevated observatory or summer-house.

GEE. It won't gee; it won't hit or do, it does not suit or fit.

GELDING. An eunuch.

GELT. Money, GERMAN.--Also, castrated.

GENTLE CRAFT. The art of shoeniaking. One of the gentle craft: a shoemaker: so called because once practised by St. Crispin.

GENTLEMAN COMMONER. An empty bottle; an university joke, gentlemen commoners not being deemed over full of learning.

GENTLEMAN'S COMPANION. A louse.

GENTLEMAN'S MASTER. A highway robber, because he makes a gentleman obey his commands, i.e. stand and deliver.