Gold-finder, subs. (old).—1. An emptier of privies. Also Tom-turd-man; Gong-man; and Night-man. Fr., un fouille-*merde; un fifi. Also passer la jambe à Jules = to upset Mrs. Jones, i.e., to empty the privy tub.
1611. Cotgrave, Dictionarie, Gadouard, a gould-finder, Jakes-farmer.
1635. Feltham, Resolves. As our goldfinders . . . in the night and darkness thrive on stench and excrements.
1653. Middleton, Sp. Gipsy, ii., 2, p. 398 (Mermaid series). And if his acres, being sold for a maravedii a turf for larks in cages, cannot fill this pocket, give 'em to GOLDFINDERS.
1659. Torriano, Vocabolario, s.v.
1704. Gentleman Instructed, p. 445 (1732). We will commit the further discussion of the poet to a committee of goldfinders, or a club of rake-kennels.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v
2. (old).—A thief; a gold-dropper (q.v.).
Gold Hat-band, subs. (old
University).—A nobleman under-*graduate;
a TUFT (q.v.).
1628. Earle, Microcosmography. His companion is ordinarily some stale fellow that has been notorious for an ingle to gold hatbands, whom hee admires at first, afterwards scornes.
1889. Gentleman's Mag., June, p. 598. Noblemen at the universities, since known as 'tufts,' because of the gold tuft or tassle to their cap, were then known as GOLD HATBANDS.
GOLDIE-LOCKS, subs. (old).—A
flaxen-haired woman. Goldy-locked
= golden haired.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes. Biondella . . . a golden-lockt wench, as we say a goldilocks.
1605. Ben Jonson, The Fox, i., 1. Thence it fled forth, and made quick transmigration to goldy-locked Euphorbus.
Gold Mine, subs. phr. (common).—A
profitable investment; a
store of wealth, material or
intellectual.
1664. H. Peacham, Worth of a Penny, in Arber's Garner, vol. VI., p. 249. Some men . . . when they have met with a gold mine, so brood over and watch it, day and night, that it is impossible for Charity to be regarded, Virtue rewarded, or Necessity relieved.
1830 Tennyson, Dream of Fair Women, p. 274. Gold-mines of thought—to lift the hidden ore.
1882. Thormanby, Famous Racing Men, p. 81. Mendicant . . . ran nowhere in the Cup . . . in reality she was destined to prove a gold mine, for ten years afterwards she brought her owner £80,000 through her famous son, Beadsman.
1883. Sat. Review, 28 Apr. 533/2. His victory proved a gold mine to the professional bookmakers.
1887. Froude, Eng. in West Indies, ch. v. Every one was at law with his neighbour, and the island was a gold mine to the Attorney-General.
Golgotha, subs. (old).—1. The
Dons' gallery at Cambridge; also
applied to a certain part of the
theatre at Oxford. [That is, 'the
place of skulls': Cf., Luke xxiii.
33, and Matthew xxvii. 33,
whence the pun: Dons being the
heads of houses.]
1730. Jas. Miller, Humours of Oxford, Act ii., p. 23 (2nd ed.). Sirrah, I'll have you put in the black-book, rusticated,—expelled—I'll have you coram nobis at Golgotha, where you'll be bedevilled, Muck-worm, you will.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1791. G. Huddesford, Salmagundi, (Note on, p. 150). Golgotha, 'The place of a Scull,' a name ludicrously affixed to the Place in which the Heads of Colleges assemble.
1808. J. T. Conybeare in C. K. Sharpe's Correspondence (1888), i., 324. The subject then, of the ensuing section is Oxford News . . . we will begin by GOLGOTHA . . . Cole has already obtained the Headship of Exeter, and Mr. Griffiths . . . is to have that of University.
