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 1837. Dickens, Oliver Twist, ch. xliii. And we'll have a big-wig, Charley: one that's got the greatest gift of the gab: to carry on his defence.

1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, I., 250. People reckon me one of the best patterers in the trade. I'm reckoned to have the gift—that is, the GIFT OF THE GAB.

1869. Whyte-Melville, M. or N., p. 29. I've GOT THE GIFT OF THE GAB, I know, and I stick at nothing.

1870. Lond. Figaro, 18 Sept. 'Of all gifts possessed by man,' said George Stephenson, the engineer, to Sir William Follett, 'there is none like the gift of THE GAB.'

1876. Hindley, Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 193. Others, although they have the gift of the gab when they are on the ground, as soon as they mount the cart are dumbfounded.

To BLOW THE GAB, verb. phr. (vulgar).—To inform; to peach (q.v.). Also TO BLOW THE GAFF (q.v).

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

1834. Ainsworth Rookwood, bk. III., ch. 5. Never blow the gab or squeak.

To flash THE gab, verb. phr. (common).—To show off (q.v.) in talk; cf., Air one's vocabulary.

1819. Moore, Tom Crib's Memorial, p. 2. While his Lordship that very great dab At the flowers of rhet'ric is FLASHING HIS GAB.

Gabble, subs. (colloquial).—1. A gossip. Also Gabbler, Gabble-grinder, Gabble-merchant, and Gabble-monger.

2. (colloquial).—A voluble talker.

Gabble-mill, subs. (American).—1. The United States Congress. Also Gabble-manufactory.

2. (common).—A pulpit. For synonyms, see Humbox.

3. (common).—The mouth. For synonyms, see Potato-trap.

Gable, subs. (common).—The head. Also Gable-end. For synonyms, see Crumpet.

Gabster, subs. (common).—A voluble talker, whether eloquent or vain; one having the gift of THE GAB (q.v.).

Gab-string.—See Gob-string.

Gaby (also Gabbey and Gabby), subs. (common).—A fool; a babbler; a boor. Icl. gapi = a foolish person, from gapa = to gape.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.

1856. T. Hughes, Tom Brown's School Days, pt. 1, ch. iii. Two boys, who stopped close by him, and one of whom, a fat gaby of a fellow, pointed at him and called him young 'mammy-sick.'

1859. H. Kingsley, Geoffrey Hamlyn, ch. ix. Don't stand laughing there like a great gaby.

1875. Ouida, Signa, vol. I., ch. iv., p. 47. 'You have never dried your clothes, Bruno,' said his sister-in-law, 'What a gaby a man is without a wife!'

Gad, subs. (common).—An idle slattern. An abbreviation of GAD-ABOUT (q.v.).

Intj, (common).—An abbreviation of by Gad! Cf. Agad, Egad—themselves corruptions of by God, Lit.

On the gad, adv. phr. (old).—1. On the spur of the moment.

1605. Shakspeare, Lear, i., 2. All this is done upon the gad.

2. (colloquial).—On the move, on the gossip.

1818. Austen, Persuasion. I have no very good opinion of Mrs. Charles' nursery maid She is always upon THE GAD.