• GAL
n. 1. 1795 colloq. – a woman
n. 2. 1824 sl. – a girl, esp. a girlfriend
n. 3. M19 – a general term of address to a woman
n. 4. 20C sl. – a prostitute
vb. 1931 Amer. dial. – of men: to visit women, to go courting
• GALA
n. 1716 obs. – festivity, gaiety, rejoicing
• GALA BRIG FAIR
phr. c1840 obs. – a fictitious or nonexistent fair; hence, used to mean ‘never’
• GALACTIC
adj. 1998 US sl. – great, wonderful, amazing
• GALACTOPHAGIST
n. 1730 – one who feeds or lives chiefly on milk; a drinker of milk
• GALACTOPHAGOUS
adj. 1885 – feeding on milk
► GALACTOPOTE n. a drinker of milk → 1625 obs.
• GALACTOPOTIC
adj. 1623 obs. – drinking milk
• GALACTOPOTON
n. 1623 obs. – one that still drinks milk
• GALAFER
n. 1898 Eng. dial. – a prattling sound; a loud noise; a burst of laughter
• GALAGANTING
adj. 1874 Eng. dial. – large and awkward; awkwardly big, slovenly in gait
• GALAH
n. 1. 1930s Aust. sl. – a chap, a fellow
n. 2. 1938 Aust. sl. – a fool
• GALAH SESSION
n. 1950s Aust. sl. – an interval set aside regularly on the Flying Doctor radio network for anyone who wishes to exchange news and gossip rather than make emergency calls
• GALANCIE
n. 1581 obs. – delicacy, nicety
• GALANDA
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a verandah, a porch
• GALANTEE
vb. 1894 Eng. dial. – to guarantee, to warrant
• GALANTY SHOW
n. 1821 – a shadow pantomime produced by throwing shadows of miniature figures on a wall or screen
• GALANY
n. L18 sl. – a guinea-fowl
• GALASH
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a clog or wooden shoe
• GALAT
n. 1825 Sc. – a term of endearment, generally addressed to a girl
• GAL A TEK LIFE
n. 1990s W. Indies sl. – a very attractive woman
• GALAVANTING
n. 1883 Sc. – philandering
• GALAVINS
n. 1876 Eng. dial. – palpitations
• GALAXY
n. 1590 – a brilliant assemblage or crowd of beautiful women or distinguished persons
• GALAY
vb. 1. 1375 obs. – to reel; to stagger
vb. 2. 20C W. Indies sl. – to hesitate, to speak or act indecisively
• GALBA
n. 2003 Trinidad and Tobago – the penis
• GALBANUM
n. 1764 – empty protestations or representations; bosh, humbug
• GALBE
n. L19 UK criminals’ sl. – an aggressive and frightening profile; any physical deformity occurring above the knee
• GAL BLOCK
n. 1972 US sl. – a section of a prison reserved for blatantly homosexual prisoners
• GAL-BOY
n. 1. 1848 Amer. dial. – a romping girl, a tomboy; a mannish or masculine woman
n. 2. L19 sl. – a feminine young man; hence an effeminate (young) homosexual; a prison catamite
• GALCHING AND RETCHING
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – the forcing up of food from the stomach with wind
• GALDER
n. 1. c1000 obs. – a charm, or incantation
n. 2. 1836 Sc. & Eng. dial. – a noisy vulgar laugh; a loud yell; noisy, foolish talk, chatter
n. 3. 1929 Sc. – high, roaring wind; a strong gust of wind; a strong breeze
vb. 1. 1866 Sc. – to laugh in a noisy, vulgar manner; to talk or sing boisterously; to speak in a loud, foolish manner; to bawl
vb. 2. 1908 Sc. – of the wind: to blow hard, to bluster
• GALDERIC
n. Bk1900 Sc. – a large room; a gallery
• GALDERIE
n. 1908 Sc. – an open, draughty space
• GALDERING
adj. 1897 Sc. – noisy, loud-talking, laughing loudly
• GALDERS
n. 1898 Sc. – noisy mirth
• GALDIMENT
n. 1790 Eng. dial. obs. – a great fright; terror
• GALDRAGON
n. 1821 Sc. obs. – a sorceress, a witch
• GALDROCH
adj. 1900 Sc. obs. – ill-favoured, haggard
n. 1824 Sc. obs. – a greedy, long-necked, ill-shaped person
• GALE
adj. 20C W. Indies sl. – covered in scabs, itching, suffering from scabies, eczema, or some other skin disease
n. 1. c1200 obs. – singing, a song; merriment; mirth
n. 2. a1300 obs. – speech, talk
n. 3. 1777 Eng. dial. – a bull that has been castrated after reaching maturity
n. 4. a1800 US – a state of excitement or hilarity; a good time
n. 5. 1891 Eng. dial. – a place in the hollow of a hill
n. 6. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a boar castrated after reaching maturity
n. 7. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a childless man
n. 8. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – any kind or form of protuberance
vb. 1. a1000 obs. – to sing; also, to deliver an oracular response
vb. 2. c1205 obs. – of a dog: to bark, to yelp; of a bird, esp. the cuckoo: to utter its peculiar note
vb. 3. c1386 obs. – to make an outcry; to exclaim against something
vb. 4. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – of birds: to circle about, as before a gale
vb. 5. Bk1913 Amer. dial. – to lead in boisterous fun-making
• GALEE
n. L19 Anglo-Indian – bad language
• GALEENY
n. L18 sl. – a guinea-fowl
• GALEERY
adj. 20C Irish sl. – foolish
• GALEGALE
n. a1250 obs. – a noisy fellow
• GALE-HEADED
adj. 1810 Eng. dial. – stupid, heavy
• GALEN
n. 1598 jocular usage – a physician
• GALENA
n. 1859 US sl. – salt pork
• GALENEY
n. 1812 sl. – a fowl
• GALENIC
adj. 1668 jocular usage – medical
• GALENY
n. 1. L18 sl. – a guinea-fowl
n. 2. 1812 sl. – a fowl
• A GALE OF GEESE
n. 1825 Sc. obs. – a flock of geese
• GALERN
n. 1693 obs. – the North wind
• GALEY
adj. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – boisterous, stormy
• GALF
n. 1979 US sl. – a girlfriend
• GAL FRIDAY
n. 1930s sl., orig. US – a female secretary or personal assistant
• GALIC
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – incomprehensible talk, nonsense, gibberish
• GALILEE
n. 1920s African-American sl. – the Southern US states
• GALILEE STOMPERS
n. 1970s homosexual sl. – sandals, flip-flops
• GALIMATIAS
n. 1. 1653 – speech that is so rapid, confused, or disguised as to be unintelligible; a dark, perplexed discourse; meaningless talk; nonsense, gibberish
n. 2. 1762 – a mixture, medley, hodge-podge
• GALIMAUFRY
n. 1. a1616 – a mistress
n. 2. 19C Brit. sl. – the female genitals
• GALIMAVIS
n. 1925 Sc. – a fool, a stupid person
• GALIMONY
n. 1990s US homosexual sl. – the lesbian version of palimony; alimony
• GALIVANDER
vb. 1892 Eng. dial. – to gad about, to jaunt, to go about idly or on pleasure; to gallivant
• GALL
n. 1. a1300 obs. – filth, impurity
n. 2. 1340 obs. – poison, venom
n. 3. 1537 obs. – a person or thing that harasses or distresses
n. 4. 1768 Sc. – bitterness, spite, malice; a grudge
n. 5. 1787 Sc. – a crease or wrinkle in cloth
n. 6. 1793 Sc. & Eng. dial. – a sore place or abrasion on the skin
n. 7. 1882 orig. US sl. – impudence, arrogance, self-possession, brazen assurance
n. 8. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a fault, an imperfection; a defect in a tree
vb. 1. c1440 – to make sore by chafing or rubbing
vb. 2. 1602 – to annoy, to vex, to irritate, to hurt in feeling; to chafe, to fret, to become pettish
• GALLA
vb. 1960s S. Afr. sl. – to crave, to desire very mush, esp. of food
• GALL ABOUT
vb. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – to blow strongly in sudden gusts
• GALLACHER
n. Bk1900 Sc. – an earwig
• GALLACK
n. 1703 Eng. dial. – the left hand
• GALLACK-HAND
n. 1703 Eng. dial. – the left hand
• GALLACK-HANDED
adj. 1796 Eng. dial. – left-handed; awkward, clumsy
• GALLAD!
int. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – an expression of encouragement, ‘go it, lad’
• GALLAFER
n. 1898 Sc. & Eng. dial. – a prattling sound; a loud noise; a burst of laughter; noisy, boisterous jollification; loud mirth
• GALLAGHER
n. 1925 US sl. – a run; a get-away, an escape
• GALLAGHER AND SHEEHAN
n. 1910s US sl. – a policeman
• GALLA-GLASS
n. 1716 Sc. obs. – an armed foot-soldier; an armour-bearer
• GALLAND
n. c1510 Sc. obs. – a young fellow
• GALLANT
adj. 1. c1420 arch. – gorgeous or showy in appearance; finely-dressed, smart
adj. 2. 1484 obs. – of language; full of showy expressions, ornate, specious
adj. 3. 1500-20 obs. – suited to fashionable society; indulging in social gaiety or display; attractive in manners, polished, courtier-like
adj. 4. 1539 rare – excellent, splendid, fine, grand
adj. 5. 1552 obs. – of women: fine-looking, handsome
adj. 6. 1673 rare – pert. to sexual love, amorous
adj. 7. 1826 Sc. – improperly familiar
n. 1. 1388 arch. – a man of fashion and pleasure; a fine gentleman
n. 2. a1450 rare – one who pays court to ladies, a ladies’ man; also, a lover, in a bad sense, a paramour
n. 3. c1550 obs. – of a woman: a fashionably attired beauty
n. 4. 1808 Sc. obs. – a young fellow
n. 5. 1880 Sc. obs. – a woman who strolls about in the company of men
vb. 1614 obs. – to make gallant or fine; to deck out in a showy manner
• GALLANTEE
vb. 1894 Eng. dial. – to guarantee, to warrant
• GALLANTER
n. 1846 Sc. – a man or woman who goes about much in the company of the other sex
• GALLANTHOOD
n. 1881 rare – ‘gallants’ collectively, chivalry
• GALLANTIFY
vb. 1672 obs. rare – to soundly cudgel
• GALLANTING
adj. 1873 Sc. – roving, roaming
• GALLANTISE
n. c1520 obs. – gallantry, gallant bearing, courtliness
• GALLANTISH
adj. 1. 1791 Sc. – given to going about much with men; flirtatious
adj. 2. 1802 Sc. – gay, fond of display
• GALLANTISSIMO
n. 1684 obs. rare – a mode of address – most gallant sir!
• GALLANTIZE
vb. 1. 1603 rare – to play the gallant
vb. 2. 1728 rare – to play the gallant to a woman; to court
• GALLANTRIES
n. 1687 obs. – pretty things, knickknacks
• GALLANTRIZE IT
vb. a1693 obs. rare – to indulge one’s propensity for gallantry; to play the gallant
• GALLANTRY
n. 1. 1606 obs. – gallants collectively; gentry, fashionable people
n. 2. 1613 obs. – fine or gay appearance or show, splendour, magnificence
n. 3. 1633 obs. – a elegant practice or habit
n. 4. 1648 obs. – loyalty, devotion to a monarch
n. 5. 1650 obs. – excellence
n. 6. 1706-7 – the world of male-female relations; male-female sexual relations and the male sexual pursuit of women; an intrigue with one of the opposite sex
• GALLANTSHIP
n. 1579 obs. rare – the condition or dignity of a gallant
• GALLANTURE
n. a1683 obs. rare – the occupation or behaviour of a gallant
• GALLANT WIMBLE
n. Urquhart usage – the penis
• GALLARD
adj. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – frightened, scared, alarmed
• GALL AT
vb. 1599 obs. – to scoff at
• GALLAYNIEL
n. 1838 Sc. obs. – a big, gluttonous, ruthless man
• GALL-BRUSTER
n. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a thing or person that settles, a settler
• GALL-BURSEN
adj. Bk1900 Sc. – short-winded
• GALLEHOOING
n. 1825 Sc. obs. – a stupefying noise without any sufficient reason; empty, blustering talk
• GALLER
n. 1674 rare – one who galls or irritates
• GALLERED
adj. 1825 Eng. dial. – frightened, scared, alarmed
• GALLERSGOOD
n. 18C UK criminals’ sl. – anything considered to be so bad or useless that it is fit only for the gallows
• GALLERY
adj. 20C Irish sl. – cheerful, lively
n. 1. 1674 obs. – a passage made by deer, etc. through brushwood
n. 2. 1849 – a passage made by an animal underground, or through a rock
n. 3. 20C Irish sl. – fun, enjoyment
• GALLERY GOD
n. 1947 US sl. – a theatre-goer who sits in the uppermost balcony
• GALLERY-HIT
n. 1882 – a piece of showy play (primarily by a batsman in cricket) intended to gain applause from uncritical spectators
• GALLERYITE
n. 1895 – one who occupies a seat in a gallery
• GALLERY THIRTEEN
n. 1937 US sl. – a prison burial ground
• GALLET
n. 1825 Sc. – a term of endearment, generally addressed to a girl
• GALLEY
adj. 20C Irish sl. – cheerful, lively
n. 1. Bk1900 Eng. dial. – a boy’s catapult
n. 2. Bk1900 Sc. – a leech
n. 3. 20C Irish sl. – fun, enjoyment
• GALLEY-BIRD
n. 1882 Eng. dial. – the green woodpecker, Gecinus viridis
• GALLEYED
adj. 1825 Eng. dial. – frightened, scared, alarmed
• GALLEY-GROWLERS
n. 1867 – ‘idle grumblers and skulkers, from whom discontent and mutiny generally derive their origin”
• GALLEY NEWS
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a rumour on which no reliance can be placed
• GALLEYNIPPER
n. 1818 chiefly US – a large mosquito
• GALLEY-PACKET
n. 1867 – a made-up story, a lie; an unfounded rumour
• GALLEY-SLANG
n. 1867 – the neological barbarisms foisted into sea-language
• GALLEY-STOKER
n. 1867 – a lazy skulker
• GALLEY-WEST
adv. 19C US sl. – askew, crooked, scattered in all directions, disorderly, in confusion
• GALLEY-WEST AND CROOKED
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – disorderly; in confusion
• GALLEY-WESTERN CROOKED
adv. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – disorderly; in confusion
• GALLEY YARN
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a rumour on which no reliance can be placed; an incredible story
• GALLFIRED
adj. 1900s US euphemism – damned
• GALLFUL
adj. 1596 obs. rare – full of gall; bitter, malignant
Back to INDEX G
Back to DICTIONARY
Lexicophilia 