3. (colloquial).—On the spree (especially of women); and, by implication, on the town.
To GAD THE HOOF, verb. phr. (common).—To walk or go without shoes; to pad the hoof (q.v.). Also, more loosely, to walk or roam about.
1852. Snowden, Mag. Assistant, 3rd ed., p. 447. Going without shoes, GADDING THE HOOF.
Gadabout, subs. (colloquial).—A
trapesing gossip; as a housewife
seldom seen at home, but very
often at her neighbours' doors
[From Gad = to wander, to stray
(Cf., Lycidas: 'the gadding
vine') + About.] Used also as an
adjective; e.g., 'a Gad-about
hussey.'
Gadso, subs. (old)—The penis.
Italian cazzo. For synonyms,
see Creamstick and Prick.
Intj. (old: still literary and colloquial).—An interjection. [A relic of phallicism with which many popular oaths and exclamations have a direct connection, especially in Neo-Latin dialects. A Spaniard cries out, Carajo! (—the member), or Cojones! (—the testicles); an Italian says Cazzo (the penis); while a Frenchman exclaims by the act itself, Foutre! The female equivalent, (coño with the Spaniard, conno with the Italian, con with the Frenchman, and cunt with ourselves), was, and is, more generally used as an expression of contempt, which is also the case with the testicles. (Cf., ante, All Balls!) Germanic oaths are profane rather than obscene; except, perhaps, in Potz! and Potztaufend! and the English equivalent Pox! which last is obsolete. See Catso. [In Florio (A Worlde of Wordes, 1598), Cazzo = 'a man's privie member,' and cazzo di mare = a pintle fish; while cazzica = 'an interjection of admiration and affirming. What? Gad's me, Gad forfend, tush.']
1697. Vanbrugh, Provoked Wife, iii., 1. Sir? Gadso! we are to consult about playing the devil to night.
1770. Foote, Lame Lover, i. Gadso! a little unlucky.
1838. Dickens, Oliver Twist, ch. iv. 'Gadso!' said the undertaker . . . 'that's just the very thing I wanted to speak to you about.'
Gadzooks! intj. (old and colloquial).—A
corruption of Gadzo
(q.v.).
Gaff, subs. (old).—1. A fair.
1754. Discoveries of John Poulter, p. 32. The first thing they do at a gaff is to look for a room clear of company.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. The drop coves maced the joskins at the gaff; the ring-droppers cheated the countryman at the fair.
1821. Haggart, Life, p. 22. We stopped at this place two days, waiting to attend the gaff.
1823. Jon. Bee, Dict, of the Turf, etc., s.v. A fair is a gaff as well as all the transactions enacted there.
2. (common).—A cheap, low music-hall or theatre; frequently PENNY-GAFF, Cf., quot. 1823, sense 1. Also dookie. Fr., un beuglant (= a low music-hall; beugler = to bellow); un bouisbouis (boui = brothel); une guinche (popular). See also quot. 1889.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, I., p. 46. They court for a time, going to raffles and gaffs together, and then the affair is arranged.
1869. Greenwood, Seven Curses of London, p. 68. A gaff is a place where stage plays, according to the strict interpre-
