G G (jē) 1. G is the seventh letter of the English alphabet, and a vocal consonant. It has two sounds; one simple, as in gave , go , gull ; the other compound (like that of j ), as in gem , gin , dingy . See Guide to Pronunciation , §§ 231-6, 155, 176, 178, 179, 196, 211, 246.

The form of G is from the Latin, in the alphabet which it first appeared as a modified form of C. The name is also from the Latin, and probably comes to us through the French. Etymologically it is most closely related to a c hard, k y , and w ; as in c orn, g rain, k ernel; k in Latin g enus, Greek ...; English g arden, y ard; dra g , dra w ; also to ch and h ; as in g et, pre h ensile; g uest, h ost (an army); g all, ch oler; g ust, ch oose. See C .

2. (Mus.) G is the name of the fifth tone of the natural or model scale; -- called also sol by the Italians and French. It was also originally used as the treble clef, and has gradually changed into the character represented in the margin. See Clef . G♯ (G sharp) is a tone intermediate between G and A.

Gab Gab noun [ Confer Gaff .] (Steam Engine) The hook on the end of an eccentric rod opposite the strap. See. Illust. of Eccentric .

Gab Gab noun [ Middle English gabbe gabble, mocking, from Icelandic gabb mocking, mockery, or Old French gab , gabe ; perhaps akin to English gape , or gob . Confer Gab , intransitive verb , Gibber .] The mouth; hence, idle prate; chatter; unmeaning talk; loquaciousness. [ Colloq.]

Gift of gab , facility of expression. [ Colloq.]

Gab Gab intransitive verb [ Middle English gabben to jest, lie, mock, deceive, from Icelandic gabba to mock, or Old French gaber . See 2d Gab , and confer Gabble .] 1. To deceive; to lie. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

2. To talk idly; to prate; to chatter. Holinshed.

Gabarage Gab"ar·age noun A kind of coarse cloth for packing goods. [ Obsolete]

Gabardine, Gaberdine Gab`ar·dine", Gab`er·dine" noun [ Spanish gabardina ; confer Italian gavardina , Old French galvardine , calvardine , gavardine , galeverdine ; perhaps akin to Spanish & Old French gaban a sort of cloak or coat for rainy weather, French caban great coat with a hood and sleeves, Italian gabbano and perhaps to English cabin .] A coarse frock or loose upper garment formerly worn by Jews; a mean dress. Shak.

Gabber Gab"ber noun 1. A liar; a deceiver. [ Obsolete]

2. One addicted to idle talk.

Gabble Gab"ble intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Gabbled ; present participle & verbal noun Gabbling .] [ Freq. of gab . See Gab , intransitive verb ] 1. To talk fast, or to talk without meaning; to prate; to jabber. Shak.

2. To utter inarticulate sounds with rapidity; as, gabbling fowls. Dryden.

Gabble Gab"ble noun 1. Loud or rapid talk without meaning.

Forthwith a hideous gabble rises loud
Among the builders.

Milton.

2. Inarticulate sounds rapidly uttered; as of fowls.

Gabbler Gab"bler noun One who gabbles; a prater.

Gabbro Gab"bro noun [ Italian ] (Geol.) A name originally given by the Italians to a kind of serpentine, later to the rock called euphotide, and now generally used for a coarsely crystalline, igneous rock consisting of lamellar pyroxene (diallage) and labradorite, with sometimes chrysolite (olivine gabbro).

Gabel Ga"bel noun [ French gabelle , Late Latin gabella , gabulum , gablum ; of uncertain origin. Confer Gavel tribute.] (O. Eng. Law) A rent, service, tribute, custom, tax, impost, or duty; an excise. Burrill.

He enables St. Peter to pay his gabel by the ministry of a fish.

Jer. Taylor.

Gabeler Ga"bel·er noun (O. Eng. Law) A collector of gabels or taxes.

Gabelle Ga`belle" noun [ French See Gabel .] A tax, especially on salt. [ France] Brande & C.

Gabelleman Ga·belle"man noun A gabeler. Carlyle.

Gaber-lunzie Gab"er-lun`zie noun [ Gael. gabair talker + lunndair idler.] A beggar with a wallet; a licensed beggar. [ Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

Gaberdine Gab`er·dine" noun See Gabardine .

Gabert Gab"ert noun [ Confer F. gabare , Arm. kobar , gobar .] A lighter, or vessel for inland navigation. [ Scot.] Jamieson.

Gabion Ga"bi·on noun [ French, from Italian gabbione a large cage, gabion, from gabbia cage, Latin cavea . See Cage .] 1. (Fort.) A hollow cylinder of wickerwork, like a basket without a bottom. Gabions are made of various sizes, and filled with earth in building fieldworks to shelter men from an enemy's fire.

2. (Hydraul. Engin.) An openwork frame, as of poles, filled with stones and sunk, to assist in forming a bar dyke, etc., as in harbor improvement.

Gabionade Ga`bi·on·ade" noun [ French gabionnade .] 1. (Fort.) A traverse made with gabions between guns or on their flanks, protecting them from enfilading fire.

2. A structure of gabions sunk in lines, as a core for a sand bar in harbor improvements.

Gabionage Ga"bi·on·age noun [ French gabionnage .] (Mil.) The part of a fortification built of gabions.

Gabioned Ga"bi·oned p. adjective Furnished with gabions.

Gabionnade Ga`bion`nade" noun See Gabionade .

Gable Ga"ble noun A cable. [ Archaic] Chapman.

Gable Ga"ble noun [ Middle English gable , gabil , French gable , from Late Latin gabalum front of a building, probably of German or Scand. origin; confer Old High German gibil , German giebel gable, Icelandic gafl , Goth. gibla pinnacle; perhaps akin to Greek ... head, and English cephalic , or to German gabel fork, Anglo-Saxon geafl , English gaffle , Latin gabalus a kind of gallows.] (Architecture) (a) The vertical triangular portion of the end of a building, from the level of the cornice or eaves to the ridge of the roof. Also, a similar end when not triangular in shape, as of a gambrel roof and the like. Hence: (b) The end wall of a building, as distinguished from the front or rear side. (c) A decorative member having the shape of a triangular gable, such as that above a Gothic arch in a doorway.

Bell gable . See under Bell . -- Gable roof , a double sloping roof which forms a gable at each end. -- Gable wall . Same as Gable (b) . -- Gable window , a window in a gable.

Gablet Ga"blet noun (Architecture) A small gable, or gable-shaped canopy, formed over a tabernacle, niche, etc.

Gablock Gab"lock noun [ See Gavelock .] A false spur or gaff, fitted on the heel of a gamecock. Wright.

Gaby Ga"by noun [ Icelandic gapi a rash, reckless man. Confer Gafe .] A simpleton; a dunce; a lout. [ Colloq.]

Gad Gad noun [ Middle English gad , Icelandic gaddr goad, sting; akin to Swedish gadd sting, Goth. gazds , German gerte switch. See Yard a measure.] 1. The point of a spear, or an arrowhead.

2. A pointed or wedge-shaped instrument of metal, as a steel wedge used in mining, etc.

I will go get a leaf of brass,
And with a gad of steel will write these words.

Shak.

3. A sharp-pointed rod; a goad.

4. A spike on a gauntlet; a gadling. Fairholt.

5. A wedge-shaped billet of iron or steel. [ Obsolete]

Flemish steel . . . some in bars and some in gads .

Moxon.

6. A rod or stick, as a fishing rod, a measuring rod, or a rod used to drive cattle with. [ Prov. Eng. Local, U.S.] Halliwell. Bartlett.

Upon the gad , upon the spur of the moment; hastily. [ Obsolete] "All this done upon the gad! " Shak.

Gad Gad intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Gadded ; present participle & verbal noun Gadding .] [ Prob. from gad , noun , and orig. meaning to drive about .] To walk about; to rove or go about, without purpose; hence, to run wild; to be uncontrolled. "The gadding vine." Milton.

Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way?

Jer. ii. 36.

Gadabout Gad"a·bout` noun A gadder [ Colloq.]

Gadbee Gad"bee` noun (Zoology) The gadfly.

Gadder Gad"der noun One who roves about idly, a rambling gossip.

Gadding Gad"ding adjective & noun Going about much, needlessly or without purpose.

Envy is a gadding passion, and walketh the streets.

Bacon.

The good nuns would check her gadding tongue.

Tennyson.

Gadding car , in quarrying, a car which carries a drilling machine so arranged as to drill a line of holes.

Gaddingly Gad"ding·ly adverb In a roving, idle manner.

Gaddish Gad"dish adjective Disposed to gad. -- Gad"dish*nes , noun "Gaddishness and folly." Abp. Leighton.

Gade Gade noun [ Confer Cod the fish.] (Zoology) (a) A small British fish ( Motella argenteola ) of the Cod family. (b) A pike, so called at Moray Firth; -- called also gead . [ Prov. Eng.]

Gadere, Gadre Gad"er·e, Gad"re transitive verb & i. To gather. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Gadfly Gad"fly` noun ; plural Gadflies . [ Gad + fly .] (Zoology) Any dipterous insect of the genus Oestrus , and allied genera of botflies.

» The sheep gadfly ( Oestrus ovis ) deposits its young in the nostrils of sheep, and the larvæ develop in the frontal sinuses. The common species which infests cattle ( Hypoderma bovis ) deposits its eggs upon or in the skin where the larvæ or bots live and produce sores called wormels . The gadflies of the horse produce the intestinal parasites called bots . See Botfly , and Bots . The true horseflies are often erroneously called gadflies , and the true gadflies are sometimes incorrectly called breeze flies .

Gadfly petrel (Zoology) , one of several small petrels of the genus Oestrelata .

Gadhelic Gadhel"ic (gāl"ĭk) adjective [ See Gaelic .] Of or pertaining to that division of the Celtic languages, which includes the Irish, Gaelic, and Manx. J. Peile.

Gadhelic Ga·dhel"ic (gȧ*dĕl"ĭk; găd" e l*ĭk) adjective [ See Gael .] Of, belonging to, or designating, that division of the Celtic languages which includes the Irish, Gaelic, and Manx.

Gadic Gad"ic adjective (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or derived from, the cod ( Gadus ); -- applied to an acid obtained from cod-liver oil, viz., gadic acid.

Gaditanian Gad`i·ta`ni·an adjective [ Latin Gaditanus , from Gades Cadiz.] Of or relating to Cadiz, in Spain. -- noun A native or inhabitant of Cadiz.

Gadling Gad"ling noun [ Gad , noun + - ling .] (Mediæval Armor) [ R.] See Gad , noun , 4.

Gadling Gad"ling adjective [ See Gad , intransitive verb ] Gadding about. [ Obsolete]

Gadling Gad"ling noun A roving vagabond. [ Obsolete] Rom. of R.

Gadman Gadman noun A gadsman.

Gadoid Ga"doid adjective [ New Latin gadus cod + -oid : confer French gadoïde gadoid, Greek ... a sort of fish, French gade .] (Zoology) Of or pertaining to the family of fishes ( Gadidæ ) which includes the cod, haddock, and hake. -- noun One of the Gadidæ . [ Written also gadid .]

Gadolinia Gad`o·lin"i·a noun [ New Latin See Gadolinite .] (Chemistry) A rare earth, regarded by some as an oxide of the supposed element gadolinium, by others as only a mixture of the oxides of yttrium, erbium, ytterbium, etc.

Gadolinia Gad`o·lin"i·a noun [ New Latin See Gadolinite .] A rare earth associated with yttria and regarded as the oxide (Gd <sub>2</sub> O <sub>3</sub> ) of a metallic element, Gad`o*lin"i*um with an assigned atomic weight of 153.3.

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