52 THE DIALECT OF three distinct meanings, and all expressive ? * Gabble' might refer to the noise made, and * gable ' to the form of flight ; but if one only be the original, of which the others are corruptions, it might be a puzzling inquiry to determine which it is. Oadge, vb. to baste (in sewing). * Gadge me these trousers up,' one might say when they wanted mending. Ghk'e (pronounced gay), gave. Gav is also used. Ghterse, sb, grass. A.S. gcBrs. Gaersedrake t. e. grassdrake^ the Corncrake, Gallinula crex. Gael, or Oail (pronounced gayV), the matter which gathers in the comer of the eye, especially during the night. Chtel, (yr Gkul, vb. corresponding to the substantive above. ' The eyes gaiV GhdBTer, 8b. used much for master, or the chief of a gang of labourers. Gain, or Gane, adj, near ; convenient ; active ; useful ; ready to hand : very common. In some parts of Torkshure ' bane ' is used in a similar sense. Gainer, Gainest, the comparative and superlative of the above. Galoar, or Galker (a as in gaUon^ cat, &c), sb. beer in course of fermentation. Halliwell says galcar is an ale-tub ; it certainly is not the tub here, but the new liquor. Bay calls it gatldear, Z. S. was a believer in witchery, and in winter-time when the ale would not ferment he attributed the defect to the ill offices of some witch, and would be heard to say, ' Ay, she's in it — she's in it agean, the old pouse.' He would then heat a chain red hot, throw it into the gcUcar (the wort), and bum out the witch, for the beer thus heated would naturally begin to ferment. He would then gleefully exclaim, ' Ay, Au knew she were in it; we'n maistered th' oud pouse.' Galching, or Gaulching. ' Snapping and galching ' is an expression used to describe the style of collo<|uy of two irritated persons. < Oalching and retching ' another oombmation of words to exj)res8 the forcing up of food from the stomach when one is troubled with wind. Gallimawfry, said by corruption GdUimatJoverty, a mixture of several sorts of meat. The latter form is also used adverbially, and is applied to a man who conducts himself in a frolicsome way. Gam, 8b. game. Making gam of one is making fun. Pheasants, &c« are gam, but the laws for their protection are usually spoken of as ' the game laws.' Ganner, sb. a gander. Ganister, sb, a kind of siliceous stone found in coal-pits. It under- lies the hard bed, and is from one to eighteen inches thick.
