distingué (popular); une douleur (popular = a comforter or pick-me-up); un ballon (popular).
Italian Synonym.—Schioppa (= a long drink: also a large beer glass).
Spanish Synonyms.—Chisguete (colloquial); enjuagadientes (also = a mouthful of water or wine for rinsing the mouth after eating); espolada (= a long drink).
Portuguese Synonym.—Quebrado (= broken: a small glass).
1690. D'Urfey, Collin's Walk, canto 4. And many more whose quality Forbids their toping openly, Will privately, on good occasion, Take six go-downs on reputation.
1793. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Go-shop. . . . The Queen's Head in Duke's Court.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum. Go-shop, s.v. The Queen's Head, in Duke's Court, Bow Street, Covent Garden, frequented by the under players, where gin and water was sold in three-halfpenny bowls, called goes; the gin was called Arrack.
1823. Jon. Bee, Dict. of the Turf, s.v.
1835. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, The Streets: Night. Chops, kidneys, rabbits, oysters, stout, cigars and goes innumerable, are served up amidst a noise and confusion of smoking, running, knife-clattering, and waiter-chattering, perfectly indescribable.
1841. Punch, Vol. I., p. 11, c. 1. Waiter, a go of Brett's best alcohol.
1849. Thackeray, Hoggarty Diamond, ch. ii. Two more chairs, Mary, two more tumblers, two more hot waters, and two more goes of gin!
1850. Smedley, Frank Fairleigh, p. 54. Drinking alternate goes of gin and water with a dustman for the purpose of insinuating myself into the affections of Miss Cinderella Smut, his interesting sister.
1853. Diogenes, Vol. II., p. 271. Shall I spend it in theatres? shows? In numerous alcohol goes?
1870. Figaro, 28 May. Their musical performances are evidently inspired by goes of gin.
1883. Echo, 7 Feb., p. 4, c. 3. Witness asked him what he had been drinking. He replied, 'Two half-goes of rum hot and a half-pint of beer.'
2. (colloquial).—An incident; an occurrence: e.g., a rum go = a strange affair, or queer start; a pretty go = a startling business; a capital go = a pleasant business.
1803. Kenney, Raising the Wind, i., 3. Ha! ha! ha! Capital go, isn't it?
1820. Jack Randall's Diary. Gemmen (says he), you all well know The joy there is whene'er we meet; It's what I call the primest go, And rightly named, 'tis—quite a treat.
1835. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, p. 251. A considerable bustle and shuffling of feet was then heard upon the stage, accompanied by whispers of 'Here's a pretty go!—what's to be done?'
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends. 'Misadventures at Margate.' 'O, Mrs. Jones,' says I, 'look here! Ain't this a pretty go!'
1841. Punch, vol. I., p. 162. Stating his conviction that this was rayther a rummy go.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, ch. lxxiii. Master Frank Clavering . . . had only time to ejaculate the words, 'Here's a jolly go!' and to disappear sniggering.
1869. Mrs. H. Wood, Roland Yorke, ch. xli. 'I am about to try what a month or two's absence will do for me.' 'And leave us to old Brown?—that will be a nice go!'
1876. George Eliot, Daniel Deronda, ch. vii. A rum go as ever I saw.
1880. G. R. Sims, Three Brass Balls, pledge xvi. He . . . exclaimed, 'Well, I'm dashed if this isn't a rum go!'
1883. R. L. Stevenson, Treasure Island, p. 55. A pretty rum go if squire aint to talk for Doctor Livesey.
1891. N. Gould, Double Event, p. 305. 'It was a near go,' said Jack.
3. (common).—The fashion; the cheese (q.v.); the correct thing. Generally in the phrase all the go.
