<B>gauzy, </B>adjective. <B>gauzier,</B> <B>gauziest,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> like gauze, thin and light as gauze. <BR> <I>Ex. gauzy wings, (Figurative.) a gauzy mist. There are a number of pieces worth lingering over, including a wonderfully gauzy. "The Ballet School," by Degas (New Yorker). (Figurative.) A gauzy new moon sailed downward swiftly (Katherine Anne Porter).</I> (SYN) diaphanous. adv. <B>gauzily.</B> noun <B>gauziness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="gavage">
<B>gavage, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>forced feeding, as by a tube that passes down the throat to the stomach. <DD><B> 2. </B>forced feeding of poultry to fatten them quickly. </DL>
<A NAME="gave">
<B>gave, </B>verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> past tense of <B>give.</B> <BR> <I>Ex. He gave me some candy. I gave the motor the gun to see what it could do (New Yorker).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="gavel">
<B>gavel</B> (1), noun, verb, <B>-eled,</B> <B>-eling</B> or (especially British) <B>-elled,</B> <B>-elling.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a small mallet used by a presiding officer to signal for attention or order, or by an auctioneer to announce that the bidding isover. <BR> <I>Ex. The chairman rapped on the table twice with his gavel.</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> to enforce, effect, or bring about (a ruling or meeting) by using a gavel or resorting to its use instead of parliamentary procedure. <BR> <I>Ex. Both chambers were gaveled into session at noon (Wall Street Journal).</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to use or pound with a gavel. <BR> <I>Ex. The chairman gaveled for attention.</I> <BR><I>expr. <B>gavel down,</B> </I>to disregard or rule out by gaveling. <BR> <I>Ex. The Senate's presiding officer ... can gavel down a point of order on which normally no debate is permitted (New York Times).</I> </DL>
<B>gavel</B> (3), noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a quantity of grain cut, especially by a cradle scythe, and ready to be made into a sheaf. </DL>
<A NAME="gavelkind">
<B>gavelkind, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> in old English law: <DD><B> 1. </B>a tenure of land, chiefly in Kent, in which at the age of fifteen a tenant in fee could dispose of his land, and in which at a tenant's death his land was divided equally among his sons or other heirs. <DD><B> 2. </B>a tenure of land by the payment of rent or fixed services rather than by military service. <DD><B> 3. </B>land held in this fashion. <DD><B> 4. </B>the custom of dividing a deceased person's property equally among his sons. </DL>
<A NAME="gavelock">
<B>gavelock, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Archaic. or Dialect.) an iron crowbar or lever. </DL>
<A NAME="gaveltogavel">
<B>gavel-to-gavel, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> from the opening to the closing of a meeting, conference, or the like. <BR> <I>Ex. gavel-to-gavel television coverage of a political convention.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="gavial">
<B>gavial, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of a family of large, harmless crocodilians of southern Asia that have long, extremely slender snouts. Also, <B>garial.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="gavialoid">
<B>gavialoid, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> resembling or having the character of a gavial. </DL>
<A NAME="gavotte">
<B>gavotte</B> or <B>gavot, </B>noun, verb, <B>-votted,</B> <B>-votting.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>an old French dance somewhat like a minuet but much more lively. <DD><B> 2. </B>the music for it, in four-four time. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to dance a gavotte. </DL>
<A NAME="gaw">
<B>G.A.W.</B> or <B>Gaw</B> (no periods),<DL COMPACT><DD> guaranteed annual wage. <BR> <I>Ex. one of the union's proposals to meet the layoff problem has been some form of ... G.A.W. (New York Times).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="gawain">
<B>Gawain, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Arthurian Legend.) a knight of the Round Table and nephew of King Arthur. </DL>
<A NAME="gawk">
<B>gawk, </B>verb, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.i. </I> to stare idly, rudely, or stupidly. <BR> <I>Ex. Foreign tourists ... normally spend freely while gawking at the pyramids (Wall Street Journal).</I> <DD><I>noun </I> an awkward person; clumsy fool. noun <B>gawker.</B> </DL>
<B>gawky, </B>adjective, <B>gawkier,</B> <B>gawkiest,</B> noun, pl. <B>gawkies.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> awkward; clumsy. <BR> <I>Ex. A lanky, gawky fellow ... tumbles over everybody (Thackeray).</I> <DD><I>noun </I> an awkward person; gawk. adv. <B>gawkily.</B> noun <B>gawkiness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="gawp">
<B>gawp, </B>intransitive verb.<DL COMPACT><DD> to gape or yawn; stare with the mouth open. Also, <B>gaup.</B> noun <B>gawper.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="gax">
<B>GAX</B> (no periods),<DL COMPACT><DD> gaseous oxygen. Also, <B>GOX</B> (no periods). </DL>
<A NAME="gay">
<B>gay, </B>adjective, <B>gayer,</B> <B>gayest,</B> noun adverb.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>happy and full of fun; merry. <BR> <I>Ex. a gay young girl, a gay dance, a gay laugh.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>bright-colored; showy. <BR> <I>Ex. a gay dress, gay with color, flowers, or ribbons.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>richly or showily dressed. <BR> <I>Ex. Seeing one so gay in purple silks (Tennyson).</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>fond of pleasure; lively. <BR> <I>Ex. The place was merely a gay suburb of the capital (Macaulay).</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>dissipated; immoral. <BR> <I>Ex. This elder Narcissa had led a gay and wild life while beauty lasted (E. Peacock).</I> <DD><B> 6. </B>(Slang.) impertinent; forward; fresh. <BR> <I>Ex. I wouldn't get gay round her (J. F. Wilson).</I> <DD><B> 7. </B>of or having to do with homosexuals; homosexual. <DD><I>noun </I> a homosexual. <DD><I>adv. </I> <B>1. </B>(Scottish.) fairly; considerably; very. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Obsolete.) in a bright or showy manner. noun <B>gayness.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="gayal">
<B>gayal, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a domesticated ox with slender horns and white legs, common in parts of India. It is believed to be a domesticated descendant of the gaur. </DL>
<A NAME="gayatri">
<B>Gayatri, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> an ancient Sanskrit meter of 24 syllables, generally arranged as a triplet of 3 divisions of 8 syllables each. </DL>
<A NAME="gaydog">
<B>gay dog,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Slang.) a person who seeks or indulges in extravagant pleasures and gaiety. <BR> <I>Ex. Hungary's "magnates" (the aristocratic heads of the great families) were Europe's most lavish hosts and its gayest dogs (Time).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="gayety">
<B>gayety, </B>noun, pl. <B>-ties.</B> <B>=gaiety.</B></DL>
<B>gayola, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (U.S. Slang.) undercover payments made by homosexual establishments for permission to operate without interference. </DL>
<A NAME="gaypayoo">
<B>Gay-Pay-Oo, </B>noun. <B>=GPU</B></DL>
<A NAME="gayscience">
<B>gay science,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> the art of poetry (so named with reference to the poetry of the troubadours). </DL>
<A NAME="gaywings">
<B>gaywings, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a North American perennial herb having flowers with large, paired, rose-purple petals. Its foliage resembles that of the wintergreen. </DL>
<B>gazabo, </B>noun, pl. <B>-bos.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a balcony; gazebo. <DD><B> 2. </B>(Dialect.) a person gazed or stared at because of odd appearance. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Slang.) a fellow; person. </DL>
<A NAME="gazan">
<B>Gazan, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> a native either of the Gaza Strip, an area on the Mediterranean southwest of Jerusalem, or of Gaza, the largest city in the Strip. <DD><I>adj. </I> of the Gaza Strip or Gaza. </DL>
<A NAME="gazania">
<B>gazania, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> any one of a group of South African herbaceous plants of the composite family, having large, showy heads of flowers with yellow or orange rays that expand only in bright weather. </DL>
<A NAME="gazar">
<B>gazar, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a gauzy silk fabric, often sequined with shiny metal. </DL>
<A NAME="gaze">
<B>gaze, </B>verb, <B>gazed,</B> <B>gazing,</B> noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.i. </I> to look long and steadily. <BR> <I>Ex. Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven (Acts 1:11). The mute rapture with which he would gaze upon her in company (Washington Irving).</I> <DD><I>v.t. </I> to look long and steadily at. <BR> <I>Ex. Straight toward heaven my wondering eyes I turn'd, And gazed awhile the ample sky (Milton).</I> <DD><I>noun </I> a long, steady look. <BR> <I>Ex. With secret gaze Or open admiration behold him (Milton).</I> noun <B>gazer.</B> adj. <B>gazeless.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="gazebo">
<B>gazebo, </B>noun, pl. <B>-bos</B> or <B>-boes.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a summer house, balcony, projecting window, or the like, that overlooks a fine view. <DD><B> 2. </B>a screened-in area with a cover, usually of canvas, for eating or relaxing outdoors. </DL>
<A NAME="gazehound">
<B>gazehound, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a hunting dog that chases by sight rather than by scent; sight hound. Whippets and greyhounds are gazehounds. </DL>
<A NAME="gazel">
<B>gazel, </B>noun. <B>=gazelle.</B></DL>
<A NAME="gazelle">
<B>gazelle, </B>noun, verb, <B>-zelled,</B> <B>-zelling.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> any one of various small, swift, and graceful antelopes found in Africa and Asia. Gazelles have large, lustrous eyes. <DD><I>v.i. </I> to leap like a gazelle does. <BR> <I>Ex. Gazelling over the nine hurdles faultlessly (Newsweek).</I> adj. <B>gazellelike.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="gazellehound">
<B>gazelle hound,</B> <B>=saluki.</B></DL>
<A NAME="gazette">
<B>gazette, </B>noun, verb, <B>-zetted,</B> <B>-zetting.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a newspaper (now chiefly or only in the names of newspapers). <BR> <I>Ex. the "Emporia Gazette."</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>an official government journal containing lists of appointments, promotions, bankruptcies, or other public announcements. <DD><I>v.t. </I> to publish, list, or announce in a gazette. <BR> <I>Ex. The barony conferred in the Birthday Honours ... was gazetted last night by the name, style, and title (London Times).</I> </DL>
