gaining-twist 
gaining-twist (gii'ning-t wist ),. Inrifledarms, 
a twist or spiral inclination of the grooves 
which becomes more rapid toward the muzzle. 
Brande. 
gainless (gan'les), a. [< gain 1 , ., + -less.] Not 
producing gain ; not bringing advantage ; un- 
profitable. 
gainlessness (gan'les-nes), n. The state or 
quality of being gainless; unprofitableness; 
want of advantage. 
The parallel holds ill the gainlessness as well as the la- 
boriousness of the work. Decay of Christian 1'irtu. 
gainly (giin'li), a. [< ME. gai/nly, gaynlich (more 
2431 
A gentleman, noble, wise, 
Faithful, and gainsome. 
ilassinger, Koman Actor, iv. 2. 
gainst (genst), prep. [< ME. gains, giiiiiiti, 
geynex, geines, etc., in part by apheresis from 
agaiiin, ngitinin, etc., mod. E. against, in part 
from the simple form gain 3 .] Against : equiva- 
lent to against, and now regarded as an abbre- gaiter 1 (ga'ter), v . t, 
viated form, being usually printed 'gainst, and with gaiters, 
used only in poetry. 
They marched fayrly forth, of nought ydred, 
Both flrmely arind for every hard assay, 
With constancy and care, gainst daunger and dismay. 
galactocele 
On her legs were shooting 'jititrr* of russet leather, de- 
cidedly influenced as to color by the tyrannic soil. 
Harper's May., LXXVI. 189. 
2. Originally, a kind of shoe, consisting partly 
of cloth, covering the ankle; now, also, a shoe 
of similar form, with or without cloth, generally 
with an insertion of elastic on each side. 
[< gaiter 1 , n.] To dress 
The cavalry must be saddled, the artillery-horses bar 
nessed, and the infantry gaiti' 
rial of Lor 
Beves of Hamloun. 
convenient. 
A gainli word. 
2f. Good; gracious. 
Bot if my gai/nlych God such gref to me wolde, 
Fof [for?] desert of sum sake that I slayn were. 
Alliterative Poems (ed. Morris), iii. 83. 
3. Well formed and agile; handsome: as, a 
i/iiiiily lad. [Rare, but common in the negative 
form ungainly.] 
gainlyt (gan'li), adv. [< ME. gaynly, geinli, 
geynliche, etc.; < gain 2 + -fy 2 .] 1. Directly; 
straightway. 
He glent vpon syr Gawen, and tjaynly he sayde, 
" Now syr, heng vp thyn ax." 
Sir Gawayne and the Green Knight (E. E. T. S.), 1. 476. 
2. Eeadily; handily; conveniently. 
Why has he four knees, and his hinder legs bemling in- 
wards, . . . but that, being a tall creature, he might with 
ease kneel clown, and so might the more gainly be loaden ? 
Dr. H. More, Antidote against Atheism, ii. 10. 
agenstonden, < 
/' . ' f , ' /' , ;i i^ci 1 1 1 r*i , i oi'w/n*t>/t, stand. \jL. again- 
d.] I, trans. To withstand; oppose; resist. 
He swore that none should him gaine stand, 
Except that he war fay. 
Battle nf Balrinnes (Child's Ballads, VII. 219). 
Trial of Lord G. Sackrille (1760), p. 11. 
gaiter 2 t (ga'ter), M. [Also(/ner-(incomp.); < 
Spenser, F. Q., II. xii. "38. ME. gaytre; origin obscure.] The dogwood- 
ME. *gainstan- tree. Now gaiter-tree, gattridge. 
' gaiter-berryt, A berry of the dogwood-tree, 
Cornus sangitinea or C. mascula. 
Youre laxatives 
Of laurial, centaure, and fumetere, 
Or elles of ellebor that groweth there, 
Of catapuce or of gaytres beryls. 
Chaucer, Nun's Priest's Tale, 1. 145. 
gaiter-treet, gatter-treet, . [< gaiter 2 + tree.] 
One of several hedgerow trees and bushes, as 
the dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), the spindle- 
tree (Eitonymus Kuropceus}, and the guelder- 
rose ( Viburnum Opulus). Also gatten-free, gat- 
teridge. 
I hear they call this [the dogwood] in the North parts of 
the Land the gatter tree, and the berries gatter berries. 
Parkinson, Herbal (1640), p. 1521. 
Love proved himself valiant, that durst . . . gainstand 
the force of so many enraged desires. Sir P. Sidney. 
Not gaiustanding 1 , notwithstanding. 
And notjht gayneglandyng cure grete eelde [age], 
A semely sone he has vs sente. York Plays, p. 58. 
II. intrans. To make or offer resistance. 
And then throw fair Strathbogie land 
His purpose was for to pursew, 
And quhasoevir durst gaimtand, 
That race they should full sairly rew. 
Battle of Harlau- (Child's Ballads, VII. 184). gaittt, 
gainstrivet (gan-striv'), v. [< gain- + strive.'] gal 1 (gal), . [Cornish.] A more or less de- 
I. trans. To strive against ; withstand. composed ferruginous rock, nearly or quite the 
same as gossan. 
A Scotch spelling of geft 
In case yet all the Fates gainstrive us not, 
Neither shall we, perchance, die unreveng'd. 
N. Grimoald, Death of Cicero. 
j, he gript his 
E. T. S.), 1. 744. 
3. Fitly; suitably. 
Whan he geinliche was greithed [equil 
mantel. William of Palerne ( 
4. Very; exceedingly; thoroughly; well. 
Sche was geinli glad & oft God thonked. 
WOUamoS Patent! (R. E. T. S.), 1. 3448. 
gain-paint. [F. gagne-pain, lit. ' win-bread ' : 
gagner,ga,m (see gain 1 ) ;pain,< ii.panis, bread.] 
In the middle ages, a fanciful name applied to 
the sword of a hired soldier. 
gainst, prep. An earlier form of gainst. 
gainsay (gan-sa'), . t.; pret. and pp. gainsaid, g a j r (gar), n. 
ppr. gainsaying. [< ME. *gainsaijen, geinseyen, 
abbr. of ageinseyen, agenseyen, etc.,tr. L. contra- 
dicere, etc. (= ODan. gensige), speak against, < 
agein, agen, again, against, + sayen, etc., say : 
see againsay, again, gain-, and say 1.] To speak 
against; contradict; oppose in words; deny 
or declare not to be true ; controvert ; dispute : 
applied to persons, or to propositions, declara- 
In his strong armes he stifly him embraste, 
Who him gainstriving nought at all prevaild. 
Spenser, F. Q., II. iv. 14. 
II. intrans. To make or offer resistance. 
He may them catch unable to gainestrive. 
Spenser, F. Q., IV. vii. 12. 
gain-twist (gau'twist), . A rifle. See gain- 
ing-twist. [Colloq.] 
I done it once [identified a criminal] when Judge Lynch 
sot on a bushwhacker, and I'd rather give my best gain- 
twist, than do it ag'in. 
Fitz-Hugh Ludlow, Fleeing to Tarshish. 
A Scotch form of gore 2 . 
And ye'll tak aff my Hollin sark, 
And riv 't frae gair to yair. 
The Twa Brothers (Child's Ballads, II. 22->). 
But young Johnstone had a little wee sword, 
Hung low down by his gair. 
Young Johnstone (Child's Ballads, II. 296). 
My lady's gown there's gairs upon 't, 
And gowden flowers sae rare upon 't. 
Burns, My Lady's Gown. 
tions, or facts. 
- . - . . ,. T n , uer accorded gairfish (gar'fish), w. A name of the porpoise. 
gairfowl(gar'foul),)i. Another spelling of gare- 
fowl. [Scotch.] 
g'airish, gairishly, etc. See garish, etc. 
gaisont, a. Same as geason. 
gait 1 (gat), . [A So. spelling of gate 2 , in all 
Holy Rood (E. E. T. S.), p. 157. 
The fearefull Chorle durst not gainesay nor dooe, 
But trembling stood, and yielded him the pray. 
Spenser, F. Q., III. viii. 13. 
Yet will not heaven disown nor earth gainsay 
The outward service of this day. 
Wordsworth, Ode, 1816. 
There is no gainsaying his marvellous and instant ima- 
gination. Stedman, William Blake. 
gainsay (gan'sa), n. [< gainsay, t: Cf. OSw. 
gensagn. Sw. gensaga = ODan. gensagn, contra- 
diction.] A gainsaying ; opposition in words ; 
contradiction. [Bare.] 
An air and tone admitting of no gainsay or appeal. 
Irving, Sketch-Book, p. 431. 
gainsayer(gan-sa'er), M, [< gainsay + -erl. Cf. 
ME. agenseyere.'] One who contradicts or de- 
nies what is alleged ; an opposer. 
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, 
that he may be able ... to convince the nainsayers. 
Tit. i. 9. 
gainsaying (gan-sa'ing), n. [< ME. gaunesay- 
ciit/c, etc. ; verbal n. of gainsay, v.] 1. Opposi- 8' 
tion, especially in speech; refusal to accept or 
believe something; contradiction; denial. 
gal 2 (gal), n. A vulgar corruption of girl. 
Gal-, -gal. [Ir. Gael, gall, a stranger, a foreign- 
er, esp. an Englishman.] An element in Celtic 
local names, denoting ' foreigner,' especially, in 
Irish use, 'Englishman.' Thus, Donegal (Dun-na-n 
Gall), ' the fortress of the foreigners ' (in this case known 
to have been Danes) ; Galbally in Limerick, and Galually 
in Down, 'English town ' ; Ballynagall, ' the town of the 
Englishmen '; Clonegall, ' the meadow of the Englishmen '; 
etc. 
gal. An abbreviation of gallon. 
&al. An abbreviation of Galatians. 
gala 1 (ga'la), . [Chiefly in gala-day and gala- 
dress; = D. Sw. gala = G. Dan. galla, < F. gala, 
festivity, show, a banquet, < It. gala, festive 
attire, finery, ornament, = Sp. Pg. gala, court- 
dress, = OF. gale, show, mirth, festivity, mag- 
nificence, a banquet, "> ult. E. gallant and gal- 
lery, q. v.] Festivity; festive show. 
The standard of our city, reserved like a choice hand- 
kerchief, for days of gala, hung motionless on the flag- 
staff. Irving, Knickerbocker, p. 184. 
The river is a perpetual gala, and boasts each month a 
new ornament. Emerson, Misc., p. 23. 
gala 2 (ga'la), n. [Appar. named from Gala- 
shiels, a manufacturing town in Scotland.] A 
textile fabric made in Scotland. 
(ga-lak'ta-gog), n. [< Gr. yaha 
?), milk, + fyuyfc, leading, < ayeiv, lead.] 
A medicine which promotes the secretion of 
milk in the breast. 
,_.- ^ /7 --; , - =>. - m n . 
senses, used m literary E. only m the following g a i act j a (g a -l a k'ti-a), n. [NL., < Gr. yd/.a ( ya- 
HATispfl. Tnn.Uii(y . VIST nip flistiTiotion from ante*-'. . _ !_ \ . U.T..J.- A i i T . ..*i,. / .. 
senses, making a visible distinction from gate 1 : 
see gate 2 .] 1. Same as gate 2 , 1. 
And hand your tongue, bonny Lizie ; 
Altho' that the gait seem lang. 
Lizie Lindsay (Child's Ballads, IV. 65). 
Address thy gait unto her ; 
Be not denied access. Shak., T. N., i. 4. 
2. Manner of walking or stepping ; carriage of 
the body while walking: same as gate 2 , 3. 
/.a/rr-), milk: see galactic!"] 1. In pathol., a 
morbid flow or deficiency of milk. 2. [cap.] 
A leguminous genus of prostrate or twining 
herbs, or rarely shrubs, of no importance. 
There are about 50 species, mostly of the warmer portions 
of America, 15 species occurring in the eastern United 
States. The more common, G. glaliella and G. mollis, are 
known by the name of milk-pea. 
I descry, 
From yonder blazing cloud that veils the hill, 
One of the heavenly host ; and, by his gait, 
None of the meanest. Milton, P. L., xi. 230. 
t (gat), n. [Appar. a particular use of 
'gait 1 = gate 2 , a way.] 1. Same as agistage. 
2. A sheaf of grain tied up. [Prov. Eng.] 
gaiter 1 (ga'ter), n. [E. spelling otJF. 
nor be herde. Sir R. Guylforde, Pylgrymage, p. 63. 
If St. Paul had not forescene that there should be gaine- 
sayers, he had not neede to haue appointed the confuta- 
tion of gainsaying. Latimer, 3d Sermon bef. Edw. VI. 
2f. Rebellious opposition ; rebellion. 
Woe unto them '. for they have gone in the way of Cain 
. . . and perished in the gainsaying of Core. Jude 11. 
gainsomeH (gan'sum), a. [< gain' 1 + -some.] 
Bringing gain ; gainful. 
gainsome 2 ! (gan'sum), a. [< gain 2 + -some.] 
Well formed ; handsome ; gainly. 
dial, wester, a child's chrisom-cloth, Goth, 
= L. vestis, clothing, and with AS. werian, 
wear: see vest and wenr 1 .] 1. A covering of 
cloth for the ankle, or the ankle and lower leg, 
spreading out at the bottom over the top of 
the shoe ; a spatterdash. 
Lax in their gaiters, laxer in their gait. 
James Smith, The Theatre. 
The eloquent Pickwick, ... his elevated position re- 
vealing those tights and gaiters which, had they clothed 
an ordinary man, might have passed without observation. 
DMenx, Pickwick, i. 
astron., pertaining to the Galaxy or Milky Way. 
Galactic circle, that great circle of the heavens which 
most nearly coincides with the middle of the Milky Way. 
Galactic poles, the two opposite points of the heavens 
situated at 90 from the galactic circle. 
galactidrosis (ga-lak-ti-dro'sis), . [< Gr. ydfa. 
(yahaKT-), milk, + Wpoic, sweat, + -osis.] In 
pathol., the sweating of a milk-like fluid. 
galactine (ga-lak'tin), n. [< Gr. ya'Aa (ya^axr-), 
milk, + -ie 2 .] Same as lactose. 
galactitis, < Gr. ya).aKTiTr/f (sc. Xfltof, stone), a 
certain stone said to give out, when wetted and 
rubbed, a milky juice, < yaia (yaAaxT-), milk: 
see galactic.] A variety of white natrolite oc- 
curring in Scotland in colorless acicular crys- 
tals. 
galactocele (ga-lak'to-sel), . [< Gr. yatM (;o- 
//cr-), milk, + Krj/.ij, tumor.] In siti'i/.. a mor- 
bid accumulation of milk at some point in the 
female breast, either an extravasation from a 
ruptured duct or contained in a dilated duct. 
