Chapter G to Galere of G by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Gabrielle (3 syl.; g hard). La Belle Gabrielle. Daughter of Antoine d'Estrées, grand-master of artillery, and governor of the Ile de France. Henri IV., towards the close of 1590, happened to sojourn for a night at the Chateau de Cœuvres, and fell in love with Gabrielle, then nineteen years of age. To throw a flimsy veil over his intrigue, he married her to Damerval de Liancourt, created her Duchess de Beaufort, and took her to live with him at court.

"Charmante Gabrielle,
Percé de mille dards,
Quand la gloire m'appelle
A la suite de Mars." Henri IV.

Gabrina in Orlando Furioso, is a sort of Potiphar's wife. (See under Argeo.) When Philander had unwittingly killed her husband,Gabrina threatened to deliver him up to the law unless he married her; an alternative that Philander accepted, but ere long she tired of and poisoned him. The whole affair being brought to light, Gabrina was shut up in prison, but, effecting her escape, wandered about the country as an old hag. Knight after knight had to defend her; but at last she was committed to the charge of Odorico, who, to get rid of her, hung her on an old elm. (See Odorico.)

Gabrioletta (g hard). Governess of Brittany, rescued by Amadis of Gaul from the hands of Balan, "the bravest and strongest of all the giants." (Amadis of Gaul, bk. iv. ch. 129.)

Gad (g hard). Gadding from place to place. Wandering from pillar to post without any profitable purpose.

"Give water no passage, neither a wicked woman liberty to gad abroad." - Ecclesiasticus xxv. 25.

Gad- about (A). A person who spends day after day in frivolous visits, gadding from house to house.

Gad-fly is not the roving but the goading fly. (Anglo-Saxon, gad, a goad.)

Gad-steel Flemish steel. So called because it is wrought in gads, or small bars. (Anglo-Saxon, gad, a small bar or goad; Icelandic, gaddr, a spike or goad.)

"I will go get a leaf of brass,
And with a gad of steel will write these words."
Shakespeare: Titus Andronicus, iv. 1.

Gadshill in Kent, near Rochester. Famous for the attack of Sir John Falstaff and three of his knavish companions on a party of four travellers, whom they robbed of their purses. While the robbers were dividing the spoil, Poins and the Prince of Wales set upon them, and "outfaced them from their prize;" and as for the "Hercules of flesh," he ran and "roared for mercy, and still ran and roared," says the prince, "as ever I heard a bull-calf." Gadshill is also the name of one of the thievish companions of Sir John. (Shakespeare: 1 Henry IV., ii. 4.)
    Charles Dickens lived at Gadshill.

Gaels A contraction of Gaid-heals (hidden rovers). The inhabitants of Scotland who maintained their ground in the Highlands against the Celts.

Gaff (g hard). Crooked as a gaff. A gaff is an iron hook at the end of a short pole, used for landing salmon, etc. The metal spurs of fighting-cocks. In nautical language, a spar to which the head of a fore- and-aft sail is bent. (Dana: Seaman's Manual, p. 97.) (Irish, gaf; Spanish and Portuguese, gafa.)

Gaffer (g hard). A title of address, as "Gaffer Grey," "Good-day, Gaffer." About equal to "mate." (Anglo- Saxon, gefera, a comrade.) Many think the word is "grandfather." (See Gammer.)

"If I had but a thousand a year, Gaffer Green,
If I had but a thousand a year."
Gaffer Green and Robin Rough.

Gags, in theatrical parlance, are interpolations. When Hamlet directs the players to say no more "than is set down," he cautions them against indulgence in gags. (Hamlet, iii. 2.) (Dutch, gaggelen, to cackle. Compare Anglo-Saxon, geagl, the jaw.)

Gala Day (g hard). A festive day; a day when people put on their best attire. (Spanish, gala, court dress; Italian, gala, finery; French, gala, pomp.)

Galactic Circle (The) is to sidereal astronomy what the ecliptic is to planetary astronomy. The Galaxy being the sidereal equator, the Galactic circle is inclined to it at an angle of 63 degrees.