Chapter Galeas to Galliard of G by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

The galls, or gallnuts, of commerce are produced by insects of the genus Cynips, chiefly on an oak (Quercus infectoria or Lusitanica) of Western Asia and Southern Europe. They contain much tannin, and are used in the manufacture of that article and for making ink and a black dye, as well as in medicine.

Gall insect (Zoöl.), any insect that produces galls. — Gall midge (Zoöl.), any small dipterous insect that produces galls. — Gall oak, the oak (Quercus infectoria) which yields the galls of commerce. — Gall of glass, the neutral salt skimmed off from the surface of melted crown glass; — called also glass gall and sandiver. Ure. — Gall wasp. (Zoöl.) See Gallfly.

Gall
(Gall), v. t. (Dyeing) To impregnate with a decoction of gallnuts. Ure.

Gall
(Gall), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Galled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Galling.] [OE. gallen; cf. F. galer to scratch, rub, gale scurf, scab, G. galle a disease in horses' feet, an excrescence under the tongue of horses; of uncertain origin. Cf. Gall gallnut.]

1. To fret and wear away by friction; to hurt or break the skin of by rubbing; to chafe; to injure the surface of by attrition; as, a saddle galls the back of a horse; to gall a mast or a cable.

I am loth to gall a new-healed wound.

Shak.

2. To fret; to vex; as, to be galled by sarcasm.

They that are most galled with my folly,
They most must laugh.

Shak.

3. To injure; to harass; to annoy; as, the troops were galled by the shot of the enemy.

In our wars against the French of old, we used to gall them with our longbows, at a greater distance than they could shoot their arrows.

Addison.

Gall
(Gall), v. i. To scoff; to jeer. [R.] Shak.

Gall
(Gall), n. A wound in the skin made by rubbing.

Gallant
(Gal"lant) a. [F. gallant, prop. p. pr. of OF. galer to rejoice, akin to OF. gale amusement, It. gala ornament; of German origin; cf. OHG. geil merry, luxuriant, wanton, G. geil lascivious, akin to AS. gl wanton, wicked, OS. gl merry, Goth. gailjan to make to rejoice, or perh. akin to E. weal. See Gala, Galloon.]

1. Showy; splendid; magnificent; gay; well- dressed.

The town is built in a very gallant place.

Evelyn.

Our royal, good and gallant ship.

Shak.

2. Noble in bearing or spirit; brave; high- spirited; courageous; heroic; magnanimous; as, a gallant youth; a gallant officer.

That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds.

Shak.

The gay, the wise, the gallant, and the grave.

Waller.

Syn. — Gallant, Courageous, Brave. Courageous is generic, denoting an inward spirit which rises above fear; brave is more outward, marking a spirit which braves or defies danger; gallant rises still higher, denoting bravery on extraordinary occasions in a spirit of adventure. A courageous man is ready for battle; a brave man courts it; a gallant man dashes into the midst of the conflict.

Gallant
(Gal*lant") a. Polite and attentive to ladies; courteous to women; chivalrous.