Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 3.pdf/133

 Gazebo, subs. (old).—A summer-house commanding an extensive view. [Dog-Latin, gazebo = I will gaze.]

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

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.

Geach, subs. (thieves').—A thief. For synonyms, see Thieves.

1821. Haggart, Life, p. 56. He was a tolerable geach.

Verb. (thieves').—To steal. For synonyms, see Prig.

1821. Haggart, Life, p. 73. A small dross scout which I knew had been geached.

Gear, subs. (venery).—1. The private parts, both male and female. ['Geere, besognes; aussi les parties honteuses' (Robert Sherwood's Dictionarie, English and French, appended to Cotgrave, 1660). 'Besongner also to do or leacher with' (Cotgrave). Anglo-Saxon: gearwe (strong feminine plural) ornaments. Skeat says original sense of gear was 'preparation.']

1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, Mozza, a wench, a lasse, a girle. Also a woman's geere or cunnie.

1620. Percy, Folio MSS. 'Ffryar and Boye.' I sweare, by night nor day thy geare is not to borrow.

1659. Torriano, Vocabulario, s.v.

2. (obsolete).—Work, business (q.v.). Thus: Here's goodly gear = Here's fine doings; Here's a pretty kettle of fish. As in Romeo and Juliet (ii., 2, 106).

Gee, subs. (colloquial).—See Gee-gee.

Verb. (colloquial).—1. To go or turn to the off-side; used as a direction to horses. Cf.: It.: gio = Get on!

1480. Dialogus Creaturum. Et cum sic gloriaretur, et cogitaret cum quanta gloria duceretur ad illum virum super equum, dicendo, 'Gio! Gio!' cepit pede percutere terram quasi pungeret equum calcaribus.

2. (colloquial).—To move faster: as a teemster to his horses, 'Gee up!'

1824. Blackwood's Mag., Oct. Mr. Babb ge-hupped in vain, and strove to jerk the rein, Nobbs felt he had his option to work or play.

3. (colloquial).—To stop: as 'Gee whoa!'

To gee with, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To agree with; to fit; to be congenial; to go on all fours with; to do.

1690. B. E., Dict. of the Cant. Crew, Gears, s.v. It won't gee, it won't hit or go.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue. Gee, it won't gee, it won't hit or do, it does not suit or fit.

1850. Seaworthy, Nag's Head, ch. v., p. 35. It don't seem to gee! said Isaac, as he was trying to adjust the stove.

1888. Missouri Repub., 8 April. He and Mrs. Barnay did not gee.

Gee-gee (or Gee).—subs. (common).—1. A horse. See Gee, verb. in all senses. For synonyms, see Prad.

1888. Referee, 15 April, 1/2. In nearly all other races they see most of the gees do a canter on their way up the course.

1889. Pall Mall Gaz., 14 April. He knows as much about gee-gee's as a professional trainer.

1890. Licensed Vict. Gaz. 8 Feb. The gees were all broken to the stable.

2. (colloquial).—The nickname among journalists (of the interviewer, type) of Mr. G(eorge) G(rossmith), better known, perhaps, as the Society Clown.