GIMBLET. Same as GIMLET.
GIMCRACK, jim'krak, _n._ a toy: a gewgaw: a trivial mechanism--also JIM'CRACK.--_n._ GIM'CRACKERY. [Prov. _gim_ or _jim_, neat, and _crack_, a lively boy.]
GIMLET, gim'let, _n._ a small tool for boring holes by turning it with the hand.--_v.t._ to pierce with a gimlet: (_naut._) to turn round (an anchor) as if turning a gimlet.--_adj._ GIM'LET-EYED, very sharp-sighted. [O. Fr.
_gimbelet_, from Teut.; cf. Eng. _wimble_.]
GIMMAL, gim'al, _n._ a gimbal: (_Shak._) anything consisting of parts moving within each other or interlocked--a quaint piece of mechanism--also GIMM'ER.--_adj._ (_Shak._) made or consisting of double rings.
GIMMER, gim'[.e]r, _n._ a two-year-old ewe. [Ice. _gymbr_; cf. Sw.
_gimmer_, Dan. _gimmer_.]
GIMP, gimp, _n._ a kind of trimming, &c., of silk, woollen, or cotton twist.--_v.t._ to make or furnish with gimp. [Fr. _guimpe_, from Old High Ger. _wimpal_, a light robe; Eng. _wimple_.]
GIN, jin, _n._ Same as _Geneva_, of which it is a contraction.--_ns._ GIN'-FIZZ, a drink of gin, lemon-juice, effervescing water, &c.; GIN-PAL'ACE, GIN'-SHOP, a shop where gin is sold; GIN'-SLING, a cold beverage of gin and water, sweetened and flavoured.
GIN, jin, _n._ the name of a variety of machines, esp. one with pulleys for raising weights, &c.: a pump worked by rotary sails: (_B._) a trap or snare.--_v.t._ to trap or snare: to clear cotton of its seeds by a machine:--_pr.p._ gin'ning; _pa.p._ ginned.--_ns._ GIN'-HORSE, a mill-horse; GIN'-HOUSE, a place where cotton is ginned. [Contr. from _engine_.]
GIN, jin, _n._ an Australian native woman.
GIN, gin, _v.i._ to begin.--_n._ GIN'NING, beginning.
GIN, gin, a prov. form of _against_.
GIN, gin, a Scotch form of _gif_=_if_.
GINETE, ch[=e]-n[=a]'t[=a], _n._ a trooper, horse-soldier. [Sp.]
GING, ging, _n._ a gang or company. [A.S. _genge_, a troop, _gangan_, to go. See GANG.]
GINGELLY-OIL, jin-jel'i-oil, _n._ the oil of Indian sesame.
GINGER, jin'j[.e]r, _n._ the root of a plant in the East and West Indies, with a hot and spicy taste, useful as a condiment or stomachic.--_ns._ GINGERADE', an aerated drink flavoured with ginger; GIN'GERBEER, an effervescent drink flavoured with ginger; GIN'GERBREAD, sweet bread flavoured with ginger; GIN'GER-COR'DIAL, a cordial made of ginger, lemon-peel, raisins, water, and sometimes spirits; GIN'GERNUT, a small cake flavoured with ginger and sweetened with molasses.--_adj._ GIN'GEROUS, like ginger.--_ns._ GIN'GERPOP, weak gingerbeer; GIN'GERSNAP, a thin brittle cake spiced with ginger; GIN'GER-WINE, a liquor made by the fermentation of sugar and water, and flavoured with various spices, chiefly ginger.--GINGERBREAD WARE, or WORK, cheap and tawdry ornamental work.--TAKE THE GILT OFF THE GINGERBREAD, to destroy the illusion. [M. E.
_gingivere_--O. Fr. _gengibre_--L. _zingiber_--Gr. _zingiberis_--Sans.
_cringa-vera_--_cringa_, horn, _vera_, shape.]
GINGERLY, jin'j[.e]r-li, _adv._ with soft steps: cautiously. [From a Scand.
root, seen in Sw. _gingla_, to totter.]
GINGHAM, ging'ham, _n._ a kind of cotton cloth, woven from coloured yarns into stripes or checks, manufactured chiefly for dresses. [Fr. _guingan_, acc. to Littre, a corr. of _Guingamp_, in Brittany.]
GINGING, gin'jing, _n._ (_prov._) the lining of a shaft.
GINGIVAL, jin-j[=i]'val, _adj._ pertaining to the gums.--_n._ GINGIV[=I]'TIS, inflammation of the gums. [L. _gingivae_.]
GINGKO, ging'k[=o], _n._ a Chinese tree, allied to the yew, with edible fruit--the Maiden-hair-tree. [Jap. _gingk[=o]_--Chin. _yin-hing_--_yin_, silver, _hing_, apricot.]
GINGLE, jing'l. Same as JINGLE.
GINGLYMUS, jing'gli-mus (or ging'-), _n._ a joint that permits flexion and extension in a single plane, as at the elbow and ankle:--_pl._ GING'LYM[=I]. [Gr.]
GINNET, jin'net, _n._ obsolete form of _jennet_.
GINNING. See GIN (2).
GINNY-CARRIAGE, jin'i-kar'[=a]j, _n._ a small strong carriage used for conveying materials on a railway.
GINSENG, jin'seng, _n._ a plant of genus _Aralia_, and its root, a Chinese panacea for exhaustion of body or mind. [Chin. _jin-tsan_.]
GIP, jip, _n._ Same as GYP.
GIPSY, GYPSEY, GYPSY, jip'si, _n._ one of a wandering race, originally from India, now scattered over Europe: one with a dark complexion: a sly, roguish woman.--_adj._ unconventional, outdoor.--_ns._ GIP'SYDOM; GIP'SYISM.--GIPSY HAT, a hat for women, with large flaps at the sides; GIPSY TABLE, a form of light fancy table; GIPSY WAGON, a wagon or van like a dwelling on wheels, used by gipsies and travelling photographers.
[_Egyptian_, because once supposed to come from Egypt.]
GIRAFFE, ji-raf', _n._ the camelopard, an African quadruped with remarkably long neck and legs. [Fr.,--Sp. _girafa_--Ar. _zar[=a]f_.]
GIRANDOLE, jir'an-d[=o]l, _n._ a branched chandelier, generally projecting from a wall, and used as a stand for candles or lamps, or for flowers: a rotating firework. [Fr.,--It. _girandola_--_girare_--L. _gyr[=a]re_, to turn round--_gyrus_--Gr. _gyros_, a circle.]
GIRASOL, jir'a-sol, _n._ a bluish-white translucent opal with reddish reflections. [It.,--_girare_, and _sole_--L. _sol_, the sun.]
GIRD, g[.e]rd, _v.i._ to gibe, jeer (with _at_).--_v.t._ (_obs._) to taunt.--_n._ (_obs._) a sneer. [A.S. _gyrd_, _gierd_, rod.]
GIRD, g[.e]rd, _v.t._ to bind round: to make fast by binding: to surround: to clothe, furnish:--_pa.t._ and _pa.p._ gird'ed or girt.--_n._ GIRD'ER, one of the principal pieces of timber in a floor binding the others together: in engineering, any simple or compound beam of wood, iron, or steel used to support joisting, walls, arches, &c., in various kinds of bridges.--GIRD ONE'S SELF, to tuck up loose garments under the girdle: to brace the mind for any trial or effort. [A.S. _gyrdan_; cf. Ger. _gurten_, _garden_, Eng. _yard_.]
GIRDING, g[.e]rd'ing, _n._ (_B._) a covering.
GIRDLE, g[.e]rd'l, _n._ that which encircles, esp. a band or belt for the waist: an enclosure, compass, limit: in jewellery, a horizontal line surrounding a stone.--_v.t._ to bind, as with a girdle: to enclose: to make a circular incision, as through the bark of a tree to kill it.--_n._ GIRD'LE-BELT, a belt for girding the waist.--_p.adj._ GIRD'LED (_Shak._), surrounded with, or as with, a girdle.--_n._ GIRD'LER, one who girdles: a maker of girdles. [A.S. _gyrdel_--_gyrdan_, to gird.]
GIRDLE, g[.e]rd'l, _n._ a Scotch form of _griddle_.
GIRKIN, g[.e]r'kin, _n._ Same as GHERKIN.
GIRL, g[.e]rl, _n._ a female child: a young unmarried woman: a maid-servant.--_n._ GIRL'HOOD, the state or time of being a girl.--_adj._ GIRL'ISH, of or like a girl.--_adv._ GIRL'ISHLY--_n._ GIRL'ISHNESS. [Prob.
from Old Low Ger. _gor_, a child, with dim. suffix _-l_.]
GIRLOND, obsolete form of _garland_.
GIRN, g[.e]rn, _v.i._ (_Scot._) to grin, snarl. [_Grin._]
GIRNEL, g[.e]r'nel, _n._ (_Scot._) a granary, meal-chest. [Variant of _garner_.]
GIRONDIST, ji-rond'ist, _n._ a member of the moderate republican party during the French Revolution, so called because its earliest leaders, Vergniaud, Guadet, &c., were sent up to the Legislative Assembly (Oct.
1791) by the _Gironde_ department.--Also GIRON'DIN.
GIRR, gir, _n._ (_Scot._) a hoop.
GIRT, g[.e]rt, _v.t._ to gird.--_pa.p._ of a ship moored so taut by her cables to two oppositely placed anchors as to be prevented from swinging to the wind or tide.
GIRTH, g[.e]rth, _n._ belly-band of a saddle: measure round the waist.--Also GIRT.