Category: Word of the Day – G

ETYMOLOGY
from Grimgribber, an imaginary estate subject of a legal discussion in the play Conscious Lovers (1722) by Sir Richard Steele, British essayist and dramatist

EXAMPLE
“… Mankind in general are not sufficiently aware that words without meaning, or of equivocal meaning, are the everlasting engines of fraud and injustice; and that the grimgribber of Westminster Hall is a more fertile, and a much more formidable, source of imposture than the abracadabra of magicians. …”

From: Epea pteroenta, or, The diversions of Purley
By John Horne Tooke, 1786

ETYMOLOGY
from glim (a light of any kind; a candle, a lantern) + flashy (given to show)

EXAMPLE
“… What ho, my kiddy,” cried Job, “don’t be glimflashy: why you’d cry beef on a blater; the cove is a bob cull, and a pal of my own; and, moreover, is as pretty a Tyburn blossom as ever was brought up to ride a horse foaled by an acorn.. …”

From: Pelham; Or, The Adventures of a Gentleman
Volume I, Second Edition, 1828

ETYMOLOGY
from French gastrolatre,
from Greek γαστρ(ο)-, γαστήρ (belly) + -λατρος (serving)

EXAMPLE
“… At the Court of that great Master of Ingenuity, Pantagruel observ’d two sorts of troublesom and too officious Apparitors, whom he very much detested. The first, were call’d Engastrimythes; the others, Gastrolaters. …”

From: Pantagruel’s Voyage to the Oracle of the Bottle
Being the fourth and fifth books of the works of François Rabelais
Translated by Peter Anthony Motteux, 1694

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin Gnathonicus,
from Gnathonem (gnatho),
from Latin Gnatho, the name of a parasite in the “”Eunuchus” of Terence

EXAMPLE
“… The gnathonick Parasite sweareth to all that this benefactor holdeth. The mercenary Pensioner will bow before he break. He, who only studieth to have the praise of some witty invention can not strick upon another anwile. …”

From: A Dispute Against the English-Popish Ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland
By G. Gillespie, 1637

ETYMOLOGY
from gain- (against, in opposition to) + stand (vb.)

EXAMPLE (for vb.)
“… Throuch his falsheid and craftynes
He sall flow in to welthynes
The Godlye pepyll he sall noye
By creuell deith, and thame distroye
The kyng of Kyngis, he sall ganestand
Syne be distroyit withouttin hand. …”

From: Ane Dialog Betuix Experience and ane Courteour off the Miserabyll Estait of the Warld
By David Lindsay, 1554

ETYMOLOGY
from glum + -y

EXAMPLE (for adj. 1)
“… yet it can not be denyed, but that such casuall blastes may happen, as are most too bee feared, when the wether waxeth darke and glummy. …”

From: The Triall of Truth, wherein are discovered three greate enemies vnto mankind
By Edward Knight, 1580

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin gaudibundus, from gaudere (to rejoice)

EXAMPLE
Her gaudibund expression showed that she had heard the good news.

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin gula (gullet, appetite, gluttony) + -ist

EXAMPLE
“… He that sell’s himselfe to the custome of disloyalty to his Creator, become’s ignorant of his offence; and, instead of correction, prove’s unskilfull in the knowledge of his sinne. The gluttonous satiety of our swelling Gulists, argue’s their necessity of offending by forgetfulnes: and their own abundance barr’s them frō the just weighing of the poverty of the distressed. The common drunkard cannot be taken with a due thanks-giving for that superfluity which he corrupt’s, from whence many thirstie soules might sucke a reasonable supply for necessity. …”

From: The Honor of Chastity
By John Featley, 1632

ETYMOLOGY
from grim (adj.) + sir, sire

EXAMPLE
“…And I, Baruk prophete, conferme wurdys thes,
Lord and prince of pes, thow that chylde be,
Al his fomen ageyn hym that pres,
Ryght a grym syre at domysday xal he be. …”

From: Ludus Coventriæ, A Collection of Mysteries, c1450
The Prophets
Printed for the Shakespeare Society, 1841

ETYMOLOGY
from French gelasin, from Greek γελασῖνος (gelasinus), from γελᾶν (to laugh)

EXAMPLE
“… The beauty of the face consisteth in a large, square, well extended and cleere front, eye-browes well ranged, thin and subtile, the eye well diuided, cheerefull, sparkling: as for the colour I leaue it doubtfull, the nose leane, the mouth little, the lips coraline, the chinne short and dimpled, the cheekes somewhat rising and in the middle the pleasant gelasin, the eares round and well compact, the whole countenance with a liuely tincture white and vermilion. …”

From: Of Wisdome, three bookes written in French by Peter Charron
Translated by Samson Lennard ?1608