_agurkje_, a gherkin; a word of Eastern origin, as in Pers. _khiyar_, a cucumber, Byzantine _angourion_, a water-melon.]
GHETTO, get'[=o], _n._ the Jews' quarter in Italian cities, to which they used to be strictly confined. [It.]
GHIBELLINE, gib'e-lin, _n._ one of a party in Italy in the Middle Ages which supported the imperial authority, as opposed to the Guelfs. [See GUELF.]
GHOST, g[=o]st, _n._ the soul of man: a spirit appearing after death: (_Shak._) a dead body: (_slang_) one who writes a statesman's speeches for him, &c.--_v.i._ to appear to.--_adj._ GHOST'-LIKE.--_n._ GHOST'LINESS.--_adj._ GHOST'LY, spiritual, religious: pertaining to apparitions.--_ns._ GHOST'-MOTH, a species of moth very common in Britain, its caterpillar destructive to hop-gardens; GHOST'-ST[=O]'RY, a story in which ghosts figure; GHOST'-WORD, a fictitious word that has originated in the blunder of a scribe or printer--common in dictionaries.--GIVE UP THE GHOST (_B._), to die.--HOLY GHOST, the Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity. [A.S. _gast_; Ger._ geist_.]
GHOUL, g[=oo]l, _n._ an Eastern demon which devours the dead.--_adj._ GHOUL'ISH. [Pers.]
GHYLL, an unnecessary variant of gill, a ravine.
GIAMBEAUX, zham'b[=o], _n.pl._ (_Spens._) armour for the legs.
[Fr.,--_jambe_, leg.]
GIANT, j[=i]'ant, _n._ an individual whose stature and bulk exceed those of his species or race generally: a person of extraordinary powers:--_fem._ G[=i]'antess.--_adj._ gigantic.--_ns._ G[=I]'ANTISM, G[=i]'antship, the quality or character of a giant.--_adj._ G[=I]'ANTLY, giant-like.--_n._ G[=I]'ANT-POW'DER, a kind of dynamite.--_adj._ G[=I]'ANT-RUDE (_Shak._), enormously rude or uncivil.--_n._ G[=I]'ANTRY, giants collectively. [O. Fr.
_geant_ (Fr. _geant_)--L.,--Gr. _gigas_, _gigantos_.]
GIAOUR, jowr, _n._ infidel, a term applied by the Turks to all who are not of their own religion. [Turk. _jawr_--Ar. _kafir_, an infidel.]
GIB, jib, _n._ the projecting arm of a crane: a wedge-shaped piece of metal holding another in place, &c.--_v.t._ to fasten with such.
GIB, jib, _n._ a cat--Also GIB'-CAT (_Shak._). [A corr. of _Gilbert_, as '_Tom-cat_,' hardly for _glib_=_lib_.]
GIBBE, jib, _n._ (_Shak._) an old worn-out animal.
GIBBERISH, gib'[.e]r-ish, _n._ rapid, gabbling talk: unmeaning words.--_adj._ unmeaning.--_v.i._ GIBB'ER, to speak senselessly or inarticulately.--_n._ GIBB'LE-GABBLE, gabble. [See GABBLE.]
GIBBET, jib'et, _n._ a gallows on which criminals were suspended after execution: the projecting beam of a crane.--_v.t._ to expose on a gibbet.
[O. Fr. _gibet_, a stick; origin unknown.]
GIBBON, gib'un, _n._ a genus of tailless anthropoid apes, with very long arms, natives of the East Indies.
GIBBOUS, gib'us, _adj._ hump-backed: swelling, convex, as the moon when nearly full--also GIBB'OSE.--_ns._ GIBBOS'ITY, GIBB'OUSNESS.--_adv._ GIBB'OUSLY. [L. _gibbosus_=_gibberosus_--_gibber_, a hump.]
GIBE, JIBE, j[=i]b, _v.t._ to sneer at: to taunt.--_n._ a taunt: contempt.--_n._ GIB'ER, one who gibes.--_adv._ GIB'INGLY. [Ice. _geipa_, to talk nonsense.]
GIBEL, gib'el, _n._ the Prussian carp, without barbules.
GIBEONITE, gib'[=e]-on-[=i]t, _n._ a slave's slave--from Josh., ix.
GIBLETS, jib'lets, _n.pl._ the internal eatable parts of fowl, taken out before cooking it.--_adj._ GIB'LET, made of giblets. [O. Fr. _gibelet_; origin unknown; not a dim. of _gibier_, game.]
GIBUS, zh[=e]'bus, _n._ a crush-hat, opera-hat. [Fr.]
GID, gid, _n._ staggers in sheep.--Also STUR'DY (q.v.).
GIDDY, gid'i, _adj._ unsteady, dizzy: that causes giddiness: whirling: inconstant: thoughtless.--_adv._ GIDD'ILY.--_n._ GIDD'INESS.--_adjs._ GIDD'Y-HEAD'ED, thoughtless, wanting reflection; GIDD'Y-PACED (_Shak._), moving irregularly. [From A.S. _giddian_, to sing, be merry, _gid_, a song.]
GIE, g[=e], _v._ a Scotch form of _give_.
GIER-EAGLE, j[=e]r'-[=e]'gl, _n._ (_B._) a species of eagle. [See GYRFALCON.]
GIF, gif, _conj._ an obsolete form of _if_.
GIFT, gift, _n._ a thing given: a bribe: a quality bestowed by nature: the act of giving.--_v.t._ to endow with any power or faculty.--_adj._ GIFT'ED, endowed by nature: intellectual.--_ns._ GIFT'-HORSE, a horse given as a gift; GIFT'LING, a little gift.--LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH, to criticise a gift. [_Give._]
GIG, gig, _n._ a light, two-wheeled carriage: a long, light boat: (_U.S._) sport, fun.--_v.t._ and _v.i._ GIG'GIT (_U.S._), to convey or move rapidly.--_ns._ GIG'MAN, one who drives or keeps a gig--a favourite term of Carlyle's for a narrow philistinism based on the possession of a little more money than others, whence GIG'MANESS, GIGMAN'ITY, GIG'M[=A]NIA. [M. E.
_gigge_, a whirling thing (cf. WHIRLIGIG); prob. related to Ice. _geiga_, to turn in a wrong direction. Cf. JIG.]
GIGANTIC, j[=i]-gan'tik, _adj._ suitable to a giant: enormous--also GIGANT[=E]'AN.--_adj._ GIGANTESQUE', befitting a giant.--_adv._ GIGAN'TICALLY.--_ns._ GIGAN'TICIDE, the act of killing a giant; GIGANTOL'OGY, description of giants; GIGANTOM'ACHY, a war of giants. [L.
_gigas_, _gigantis_, a giant, _caed[)e]re_, to kill.]
GIGGLE, gig'l, _v.i._ to laugh with short catches of the breath, or in a silly manner.--_n._ a laugh of this kind.--_ns._ GIGG'LER; GIGG'LING. [M.
E. _gagelen_, to cackle; cf. Ice. _gagl_, a goose.]
GIGLET, gig'let, _n._ a giddy girl: a wanton--also GIG'LOT.--_adj._ (_Shak._) inconstant. [Prob. Ice. _gikkr_, a pert person; perh. related to _gig_. See JIG.]
GIGOT, jig'ut, _n._ a leg of mutton. [Fr.,--O. Fr. _gigue_, a leg: a fiddle; a word of unknown origin.]
GILA MONSTER. See MONSTER.
GILD, gild, _v.t._ to cover or overlay with gold: to cover with any gold-like substance: to gloss over: to adorn with lustre:--_pr.p._ gild'ing; _pa.t._ and _pa.p._ gild'ed or gilt.--_ns._ GILD'ER, one who coats articles with gold; GILD'ING, act or trade of a gilder: gold laid on any surface for ornament.--GILDED CHAMBER, the House of Lords; GILD THE PILL, to do something to make a disagreeable thing seem less so. [A.S.
_gyldan_--gold. See GOLD.]
GILL, gil, _n._ one of the breathing organs in fishes and certain other aquatic animals: the flap below the bill of a fowl. [Cf. Dan. _giaelle_, a gill; Ice. _gjolnar_ (pl.), gills; Sw. _gal_.]
GILL, jil, _n._ a measure= pint.--_n._ GILL'-HOUSE, a dram-shop. [O. Fr.
_gelle_; cf. Low L. _gillo_, a flask; allied to Fr. _jale_, a large bowl, Eng. _gallon_.]
GILL, jil, _n._ a girl, because of the commonness of the name _Gillian_, cf. 'Jack and Jill:' ground-ivy: beer flavoured with ground-ivy.--_n._ GILL'-FLIRT, a wanton girl. [From _Gillian_ or _Juliana_ (from _Julius_), a female name, contracted _Gill_, _Jill_.]
GILL, gil, _n._ a small ravine, a wooded glen.--Also GHYLL. [Ice.]
GILLIE, GILLY, gil'i, _n._ a youth, a man-servant, esp. to one hunting.
[Gael. _gille_, a lad, Ir. _giolla_.]
GILLYFLOWER, jil'i-flow-[.e]r, _n._ popular English name for stock, wallflower, &c., from its clove-like smell. [O. Fr. _giroflee_--Gr.
_karyophyllon_, the clove-tree--_karyon_, a nut, _phyllon_, a leaf.]
GILPY, GILPEY, gil'pi, _n._ (_Scot._) a boisterous boy or girl.
GILRAVAGE, gil-rav'[=a]j, _n._ (_Scot._) a noisy frolic, disorder.--_v.i._ to plunder, spoil.
GILT, gilt, _pa.t._ and _pa.p_ of _gild_.--_n._ that which is used for gilding.--_adjs._ GILD'ED; GILT'-EDGED, having the edges gilt: of the highest quality, as 'gilt-edged securities'=those stocks whose interest is considered perfectly safe.--_n._ GILT'-HEAD, a popular name for several fishes, esp. a sparoid fish with a half-moon-shaped gold spot between the eyes.
GILT, gilt, _n._ (_Shak._) money.
GIMBAL, gim'bal, _n._ a contrivance for suspending the mariner's compass, so as to keep it always horizontal. [Through Fr. from L. _gemelli_, twins.]