Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Gĭē'seck-ite, n. p. 569(Min.) A mineral occurring in greenish-gray six-sided prisms, having a greasy luster. It is a pseudomorph of elæolite, and differs from it mainly in containing a small additional portion of water;—so…Gif, conj. p. 569If. ☞ Gif is the old form of if, and frequently occurs in the earlier English writers. See If.Gĭf'fard In-jĕt'or p. 569An instrument for supplying steam-boilers with water, and operated by the direct action of steam on the water;—so called from the inventor. ☞ The steam enters from the boiler at A, and the water from…Giff'-gāff, n. p. 569Mutual accommodation;—an old phrase used by Hugh Latimer, and revived by Sir Walter Scott.Jiff'y, n. p. 569A very short time; an instant; a moment; a jiffy. [Colloq.]Gift, n. p. 569Any thing given or bestowed; any piece of property which is voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation; a donation; a present; an offering; an oblation;—sometimes used in a…Gift, v. t. p. 569To endow with some power or faculty. He was gifted in a high degree with philosophical sagacity. I. Taylor.Gift'ed-ness, n. p. 569The state of being gifted. Echard.Gig, n. p. 569A fiddle.Gĭg, v. t. p. 569To engender. [Obs.] Dryden. 2. [See FISHGIG.] To fish with a gig or fishgig.Gĭg, n. p. 569A top or whirligig; any little thing that is whirled round in play. Thou disputest like an infant; go whip thy gig. Shak. 2. A light carriage, with one pair of wheels, drawn by one horse; a chair or…Gi'gan-tē'an, a. p. 569Like a giant; mighty; gigantic. Sir T. More.Gī/gan-tēsque', a. p. 569Befitting a giant. What style would suit? The men required that I should give throughout The sort of mock-heroic gigantesque With which I bantered Lilia first. Tennyson.Gi-găn’tic, a. p. 569Of extraordinary size; very large; huge; like a giant; as, a man of gigantic stature. 2. Enormous; very great or mighty; as, gigantic deeds; gigantic wickedness. Milton.Gi-găn′tic-al-ly, adv. p. 569In a gigantic manner.Gi-gān’ti-cīde, n. p. 569The act of killing or murdering a giant. Hallam.Gi-găn/tīne, a. p. 569Gigantic. [Obs.] Bullokar.Gi-gān’to-lite, n. p. 569(Min.) A variety of iolite, related to fahlunite, and occurring in large crystals.Gi'gan-tŏl'o-gy, n. p. 569An account or description of giants.Gī'gan-tōm'a-chy, n. p. 569A war of giants; especially, the fabulous war of the giants against heaven.Gig'get, n. p. 569The same as GIGOT. “Cut the slave in giggets.” Beau. & Fl.Gīg'gle, n. p. 569A kind of laugh, with short catches of the voice or breath.Gig'gle, v. i. p. 569To laugh with short catches of the breath or voice; to laugh in a light, frolicsome, or silly manner; to titter; to grin with childish levity or mirth. Giggling and laughing with all their might At…Gig'gler, n. p. 569One who giggles or titters.Gig'let or Gig'lot, n. p. 569A wanton; a lascivious girl. [Obs.] The giglet is willful, and is running upon her fate. W. Scott.Gig'let-wīse, n. p. 569A wanton manner. [Obs. and R.] Thou wilt gad by night in giglet-wise. Fairfax.Gig'lot, a. p. 569Giddy; light; Inconstant; wanton. “O giglot fortune.” Shak.Gig'ot, n. p. 569A leg of mutton; hence, a piece of flesh. [Obs.] In gigots cut the other fit for meat. (Chapman.)Gil'bert-īne, n. p. 569(Eccl. Hist.) One of a religious order, so named from Gilbert, lord of Sempringham, in Lincolnshire, England, about A. D. 1148. The monks observed the rule of St. Augustine, the nuns that of St.…Gild, v. t. p. 569To overlay or overspread with a thin covering of gold; as, a gilt frame; hence, to cover or color with a gold-like color. Her joy in gilded chariots when alive, And love of ombre, after death…Gild'āle, n. p. 569A drinking bout in which every one pays an equal share. [Obs.]Gĭld'en, a. p. 569Gilded. [Obs.] “Gilden pillar.” Holland.Gild'er, n. p. 569One who gilds; one whose occupation is to overlay things with gold. 2. A Dutch coin, of the value of twenty stivers, about thirty-eight cents, or one shilling and ninepence sterling. [Usually written…Gild'ing, n. p. 569The art or practice of overlaying things with gold leaf, or a thin coating of gold. 2. That which is overlaid in gilding; a thin surface of gold covering some other substance.Gĭll, n. p. 569(Physiol.) A ciliated organ of respiration, generally in the form of folds or of leaf-like tufts, by means of which the oxygen dissolved in a surrounding fluid is absorbed and combined with the…Gĭll, n. p. 569A measure of capacity containing the fourth part of a pint.Gĭll, n. p. 569(Bot.) A plant of the genus Nepeta; the ground-ivy. See GROUND-IVY. 2. Malt liquor medicated with ground-ivy.Gĭll, n. p. 569A young woman; a sportive or wanton girl. “Each Jack with his Gill.” B. Jonson.Gill'-āle, n. p. 569Ale flavored with gill, or ground-ivy.Gill'-flāp, n. p. 569A membrane attached to the posterior edge of the gill-lid, immediately closing the gill-opening.Gill'-flīrt, n. p. 569A sportive or wanton girl; the same as JILL-FLIRT. I care no more for such gill-flirt, said the jester, than I do for thy leasings. W. Scott.Gill'-house, n. p. 569A place where the liquor gill is sold. Pope.Gĭl'li-an, n. p. 569A girl; a wanton; a gill. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.Gill'ile, n. p. 569A boy; a page or menial. W. Scott.Gill'-līd, n. p. 569The covering of the gills.Gill'-ō'pen-ing, n. p. 569The external opening by means of which the water from the gills, as in fishes, passes off.Gill'y-flow'er, n. p. 569(Bot.) A plant of the genus Matthiola (especially the M. incana), called also purple gillyflower; stock.Gĭlse, n. p. 569A kind of salmon. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Gĭlt, imp. & p. p. p. 569of gild.Gĭlt, n. p. 569Gold laid on the surface of a thing; gilding. Shak. 2. [Prov. Eng. gilt, a spayed sow, and sometimes a young pig or sow. See GELT, n., and GELD, v. t.] A young female pig. [Prov. Eng.]Gĭlt'-hĕad, n. p. 569(Ichth.) A kind of fish;— the name is applied to two species: the Chrysophrys aurata, found in the Mediterranean, — so named from a golden-colored space over the eyebrows,—and the Crenilabrus tinca…Gĭlt'-tāil, n. p. 569A kind of worm, so called from its yellow tail. Johnson.Gĭm, a. p. 569Neat; spruce; well-dressed. [Obs. or rare and local.]Gim'bal, n. p. 569A contrivance for securing free motion in suspension, or for suspending any thing, as a chronometer, ship’s compass, marine barometer, &c., so that it may keep a constant position, or remain in…Gim'crack, n. p. 570A trivial mechanism; a device; a toy; a pretty thing. Arbuthnot.Gim'let, n. p. 570A borer; a small instrument, usually with a pointed screw at the end, for boring holes by turning it with the hand.Gĭm'let, v. t. p. 570To pierce with a gimlet. 2. (Naut.) To turn round, as an anchor, by the stock, that is, with a motion like the turning of a gimlet.Gĭm'let-eȳe, n. p. 570A squint-eye. Wright.Gĭm'mal, n. p. 570Joined work whose parts move within each other, as a bridle bit or interlocked rings. In their pale, dull mouths, the gimmal-bit Lies foul with chewed grass. Shak. 2. A quaint piece of machinery.…Gĭm'mer, n. p. 570Movement or machinery. [Obs.] “The gimmers of the world.” More.