• GAIBIE
n. 1790 Sc. – a stupid, foolish person; a blockhead, a simpleton, a fool, a lout
• GAIBIE-LIPPED
adj. 1923 Sc. – having a projecting under-lip, and hence a stupid expression
• GAIBLICK
n. 1923 Sc. – an unfledged bird
• GAIBLOCH
n. Bk1900 Sc. – a mouthful, a morsel; a fragment, a bit of anything
• GAIETY
n. 1647 obs. – levity, thoughtlessness
• GAIG
n. 1. 1825 Sc. – a cut or crack in the hands
n. 2. 1825 Sc. – a rent or crack in wood, a chink resulting from dryness
n. 3. 1866 Sc. – a deep, ragged cut or wound
vb. 1. 1825 Sc. obs. – to crack, inconsequence of heat or drought
vb. 2. 1866 Sc. – to cut or wound deeply, with the idea of a ragged edge
vb. 3. Bk1900 Sc. – of the hands: to crack or chap
• GAIGEOUR
n. 1599 Sc. obs. – a wager or bet
• GAILIES
adv. 1742 Sc. – tolerably, moderately or fairly well
• GAILINS
adv. 1853 Sc. – tolerably, moderately or fairly well
• GAILY
adj. 1. 1773 Amer. dial. – of a horse: lively, spirited
adj. 2. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – slightly intoxicated
adj. 3. 1903 Amer. dial. – of a person: well, in good health or spirits
adv. 1. 1553 chiefly Sc. & Eng. dial. – fairly, tolerably; pretty well
adv. 2. 1778 Sc. & Eng. dial. – in good health and spirits; very well; satisfactorily, prosperously
• GAIN
adj. 1. a1000 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – of roads or directions: near, straight
adj. 2. a1300 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – of things: available, handy, useful, convenient
adj. 3. a1300 Eng. dial. – handy, expert, skilful, deft, dexterous; workmanlike
adj. 4. a1320 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – of persons: ready, well-disposed, kindly
adj. 5. 1809 Eng. dial. – tractable, docile, easy to manage; good-tempered, willing, obliging
adj. 6. 1881 Eng. dial. – cheap, at a low price, inexpensive; of persons: stingy
adj. 7. 1896 Eng. dial. – smart, active; nimble; graceful
adv. 1. c1275 obs. – again, back again
adv. 2. c1400 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – straight, direct
adv. 3. Bk1900 Sc. & Eng. dial. – nearly, almost; pretty, tolerably; very, quite
n. 1. c1200 obs. – advantage, use, avail, benefit; remedy, help
n. 2. 1473 obs. – booty, prey, spoil
n. 3. 1730 Sc. – a perquisite; an allowance in kind in addition to cash wages
n. 4. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a shallow watercourse
prep. 1. c1200 obs. – against, over against, contrary to
prep. 2. a1300 obs. – towards, to meet with
prep. 3. c1475 obs. – of time: towards, near
vb. 1. c1200 obs. – to be suitable, useful or advantageous; to avail, to help; to serve, to suffice
vb. 2. c1400 obs. – of sleep: to come upon a person
vb. 3. a1500 obs. – to meet, to encounter, to oppose
• GAINABLE
adj. 1480 obs. rare – of land: cultivable
• GAINAGE
n. 1. 1390 obs. – the profit or produce derived from the tillage of land
n. 2. 1625 obs. – husbandry, agriculture
n. 3. 1721 Sc. obs. – the implements of husbandry
• GAINAND
adj. a1300 Sc. & N. Eng. dial. obs. – appropriate, becoming, suitable
• GAIN-BIRTH
n. c1550 obs. – regeneration
• GAINBITE
n. Bk1874 obs. – a biting back again, i.e., remorse
• GAIN-BUY
vb. 1435 obs. – to buy back, to redeem
• GAIN-BUYER
n. 1435 obs. – a redeemer
• GAIN-BUYING
n. 1435 obs. – redemption
• GAINCALL
n. a1300 obs. rare – a calling out against, opposition
vb. 1. 1434 obs. rare – to call to mind
vb. 2. 1535 obs. rare – to revoke, to retract, to withdraw
vb. 3. 1611 obs. rare – to bring back again, to recall
• GAINCHARE
n. c1000 obs. – a return, a way of returning, a means of escape
• GAINCLAP
n. a1225 obs. – a blow in return; a counter stroke
• GAINCOME
n. a1225 obs. – a coming again, return
• GAINCOMING
n. a1340 obs. – a returning, return
• GAINCOPE
vb. c1440 obs. – to catch up with, to intercept or encounter another person by taking a short cut
• GAIN-COVER
vb. a1300 obs. – to recover, to regain
• GAINER
n. 1. 1798 Sc. & Eng. dial. – a gander
n. 2. 1801 Sc. obs. – a winner in a competition, game, or the like
• GAINERY
n. 1. 1424 obs. – a farm
n. 2. 1670 obs. – the profit derived from the tillage of land
• GAINESBURGER
n. 1. 1970s US prison sl. – Salisbury steak; hamburger
n. 2. 1983 US Vietnam war usage – in the military: canned beef patties
• GAINESVILLE GREEN
n. 1976 US sl. – marijuana grown in or near Gainesville, Florida
• GAINFUL
adj. 1. 1555 rare – productive of gain or profit; profitable, advantageous
adj. 2. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – active
adj. 3. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – tractable
• GAIN-GIVING
n. 1. 1375 obs. – a giving in return, making return
n. 2. 1602 obs. exc. arch. obs. – a misgiving
• GAIN-HAND
adj. 1796 Eng. dial. – near to, close at hand, adjacent; easily reached, convenient
• GAIN IN
vb. 1828 obs. – to get home, or to reach a place of refuge
• GAININ’
adj. 1731 Sc. – winning, winsome, lovable; ingratiating
• GAINING
adj. Bk1900 N. Ireland – winsome, lovable
• GAINISH
adj. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – somewhat near
adv. 1890 Eng. dial. – near to, nearly, almost
• GAINLESS
adj. 1893 Eng. dial. – profitless, useless; lumbersome
• GAINLY
adj. 1. a1300 obs. exc. Sc. & Eng. dial. – proper, suitable, becoming
adj. 2. a1300 obs. – ready to help, kindly, gracious
adj. 3. 1855 – of conduct: graceful, tactful; of bodily form or movement: graceful, shapely
adv. 1. c1200 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – suitably, fitly, conveniently, readily
adv. 2. c1350 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – thoroughly, completely; very
adv. 3. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – handily, readily, dexterously, cleverly, successfully; easily
• GAINLY-LOOKING
adj. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – comely, good-looking; neatly dressed; said chiefly of females
• GAIN MORE FEATHERS
vb. 1600 obs. – of a rumour: to assume larger proportions
• GAIN-OF-HAND
adj. 1796 Eng. dial. – near to, close at hand, adjacent; easily reached, convenient
• GAIN ONE’S WAY
vb. 1768 obs. – to advance, to make progress
• GAIN-RACE
n. a1300 obs. – a running against, meeting
• GAIN-RISING
n. c1550 obs. – resurrection
• GAIN-SAW
n. a1300 obs. – contradiction
• GAINSAY
n. 1. 1599 obs. – a matter of dispute; a moot question
n. 2. 1601 – contradiction
vb. 1. a1300 – to deny
vb. 2. c1330 rare – to refuse
vb. 3. c1340 – to speak against, to contradict
• GAINSAYER
n. 1435 – one who speaks against or opposes
• GAINSAYING
adj. 1489 – given to contradiction; stubbornly or wilfully disobedient to authority
• GAIN-SET
vb. 1435 obs. – to set over against, to oppose
• GAINSOME
adj. 1. 1569 obs. rare – profitable, lucrative, advantageous
adj. 2. 1626 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – ready, prompt
adj. 3. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – expert, handy
• GAINSPEAKER
n. 1575 obs. – a gainsayer, an opponent
• GAIN-SPEAKING
n. 1583 obs. – opposition
► GAINSTAND n. opposition, resistance → 1470 obs.
vb. to stand against; to withstand, oppose, resist → 1425 obs.
• GAINSTANDER
n. c1575 obs. – an opposer, an opponent
• GAINSTRIVE
vb. 1. 1549-62 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – to strive or struggle against; to oppose; to withstand
vb. 2. 1596 obs. – to make resistance
• GAIN-TAKING
n. 1538 obs. – taking back again
• GAINTER
vb. 1825 Sc. obs. – to use conceited airs and gestures
• GAINTERER
n. 1825 Sc. obs. – one who puts on conceited airs
• GAINTERING
adj. Bk1900 Sc. – having the appearance of assuming conceited airs
• GAINTURN
n. a1225 obs. – a turning back; an evasion
• GAIN-TURNING
n. 1340 obs. – returning
• GAINWARD
prep. a1541 obs. rare – towards, facing, over against
• GAINWAY
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a short or direct route to a house or place
• GAINY
adj. 1. 1576 obs. rare – profitable, advantageous; of the nature of gain
adj. 2. 1691 Eng. dial. – expert, handy
adj. 3. 1691 Eng. dial. – near, short
• GAINYIELD
n. 1513 Sc. obs. – recompense, return, reward
vb. 1435 obs. – (usually as ‘gain-yield’) to give in return; to make return of
• GAIPY
adj. 1929 Sc. – rash, foolish, imprudent
• GAIR
adj. 1. 1513 obs. – ready; sharp, keen
adj. 2. 1719 Sc. – eager, covetous, desirous of wealth; miserly
adj. 3. 1721 Sc. – greedy, covetous, rapacious, intent on gain
adj. 4. 1788 Sc. – thrifty, careful; parsimonious, niggardly
n. 1. 1765 Sc. – a strip or triangular piece of cloth, a gusset in a garment
n. 2. 1790 Sc. – a strip or patch of green grass, generally on a hillside
n. 3. 1821 Sc. – covetousness, greed
n. 4. 1825 Sc. obs. – a crease in cloth
n. 5. 1825 Sc. obs. – anything resembling a stripe or streak
n. 6. 1925 Sc. – a bare, worn place on clothes, etc.
n. 7. 1953 Sc. – a dirty streak or stain on clothes
vb. 1. 1810 Sc. obs. – to streak, to become streaked or dirty; of animal’s coat or cloth: to be striped
vb. 2. 1880 Sc. – to crease, to become creased
• GAIRDIE
n. 1513 Sc. obs. – an arm
• GAIRDY
n. 1706 Sc. – the arm
• GAIRED
adj. 1810 Sc. – streaked, variegated, striped
• GAIRFISH
n. 1795 Sc. obs. – the porpoise
• GAIR-GATHERED
adj. 1847 Sc. – accumulated by greed
• GAIR-GAUN
adj. Bk1900 Sc. – rapacious, greedy
• GAIRIE
adj. 1. 1804 Sc. – of bright or variegated colour, gaudy
adj. 2. 1808 Sc. – variegated, having streaks or stripes of different colours
• GAIRIE
n. 1806 Sc. – a striped or streaked cow
• GAIRIES
n. 1740 Sc. & Eng. dial. – vagaries, whims, freaks
• GAIRLY
adv. 1787 Sc. – greedily, rapaciously
• GAIRN
n. c1875 Sc. obs. – yarn
• GAIRNESS
n. 1812 Sc. obs. – carefulness in money matters, parsimony
• GAIRY
adj. 1. 1804 Sc. – of bright or variegated colour, gaudy
adj. 2. 1808 Sc. – variegated, having streaks or stripes of different colours
n. 1. 1751 Sc. obs. – a name given to a striped cow
n. 2. 1822 Sc. obs. – a whim, fancy
n. 3. 1871 Sc. – a steep hill or precipice; a moorland, upland; a piece of waste land
• GAIRY-FACE
n. 1871 Sc. – a steep hill or precipice; a moorland, upland; a piece of waste land
• GAIRY-WORM
n. 1916 Sc. – the caterpillar
• GAISHEN
n. 1. 1805 Eng. dial. – a silly-looking person
n. 2. 1865 Sc. – a skeleton, an emaciated person
n. 3. Bk1900 Sc. – anything considered as an obstacle in one’s way
• GAISHON
adj. 1894 Sc. obs. – extremely emaciated
n. 1. 1808 Sc. obs. – a thin, emaciated person; a skeleton; a hobgoblin
n. 2. 1808 Sc. – anything considered as an obstacle in one’s way; as the furniture of a house, etc. when in a disorderly state
• GAISLING
n. 1819 Sc. obs. – a foolish, inexperienced person; a term of disparagement to a child
• GAIT
n. 1. 1809 Eng. dial. – two buckets of water, carried with a yoke over the shoulders
n. 2. 1859 US sl. – manner, fashion, way, profession
n. 3. M19 US sl. – one’s trade or occupation
vb. 1. 1846 Eng. dial. – to put in working order, to fix up
vb. 2. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – to seize suddenly or violently; to clutch at
• GAITED
adj. 1. 1812 Sc. & Eng. dial. – paced, walking
adj. 2. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – marked with dirt
• GAITED
adj. 1951 Amer. dial. – tired, weary
• GAITER
n. 1908 Amer. dial. – a low cut shore or overshoe; a low canvas top shoe with a rubber sole
• GAITLE
vb. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – to wander idly
• GAITLING
n. 1. 1831 Sc. – a young child; an infant
n. 2. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – an idler, a loiterer
• GAITS
n. 1684 – paces, esp. of a horse
• GAIT-TRIP
n. 1583 obs. – manner of walking
• GAIVE
n. c1930 Sc. – a person oddly or fantastically dressed
vb. 1. 1822 Sc. – to move about in a clumsy, purposeless or restless fashion
vb. 2. 1825 Sc. – to stare in a stupid, vacant or idle manner; to stare wildly
• GAIVEL
vb. 1. 1825 Sc. obs. – to toss the head upwards and downwards, as a horse that needs a martingale
vb. 2. 1825 Sc. – to stare in a stupid, vacant or idle manner; to stare wildly
• GAIVIE
n. 1. 1923 Sc. – a clumsy fellow
n. 2. 1923 Sc. – one who stares stupidly
• GAIVLE
n. Bk1900 Sc. – the hind parts, the posterior, the buttocks
• GAIVLE-END
n. Bk1900 Sc. – the hind parts, the posterior, the buttocks
• GAJO
n. 19C UK gypsy usage – a stranger, a non-gypsy
• GAK
n. 1990s UK drug culture sl. – cocaine
• GAKE UP
vb. 1884 Eng. dial. – of a bird: to ruffle the feathers
• GAK-NAG
n. 2002 UK sl. – a cocaine user
Back to INDEX G
Back to DICTIONARY
Lexicophilia 