geld 
Dan. gilde, geld; ef. (/eld 1 , a. The relation of 
these words to E. dial, gait, a (gelded) hog (see 
gait 2 ), to gilt, a spayed sow (see gilt 3 ), and to 
Goth, giltlia, a sickle, is uncertain.] 1. To cas- 
trate ; emasculate : used especially of emascu- 
lating animals for economic purposes. 
A beautifull yong man, named Combabus, who fearing 
what might happen, gelded himselfe. 
Purchas, Pilgrimage, p. 79. 
Hence 2f. To deprive of anything essential. 
No good at all that I can do for him ; 
Unless you call it good to pity him 
Bereft and gelded of his patrimony. 
Shak., Rich. II., ii. 1. 
3f. To expurgate, as a book or other writing. 
They were diligent enough to make sure work, and to 
geld it so clearly in some places that they took away the 
very manhood of it. Dryden, Cleomenes, Pref. 
4. In apiculture, to cut out old combs from (a 
hive) so that new ones may be built. Phin, 
Diet. Apiculture, p. 55. 
geld 1 (geld), a. [E. dial.; Sc. yeld, yell, barren, 
not with young, too young to bear (of cattle, 
sheep, etc.), also barren, bleak (of soil), bleak 
(of weather), etc. ; < ME. geld, gelde, gelded, 
barren, < Icel. geldr = OSw. galder, Sw. gall 
= Dan. gold = MHG. gelte, Q. gelt, barren (of 
cattle), sterile ; of. geld 1 , v.] If. Gelded; cas- 
trated ; rendered impotent. 
Geldynge or gelde horse, canterius. 
Prompt. Pan., p. 190. 
Elde maketh me geld an growen al grai. 
Early Eng. Poem (ed. Furnivall), p. 148. 
2f. Barren; sterile. 
Elesabeth, thi cosyn, that is cald geld, 
She has coiiceyffed a son. 
Towneley Mysteries, p. 76. 
3. Not with young: as, a geld cow, a geldevie. 
Halliwell. [Prov. Eng.] 4f. Poor ; needy, 
geld'^t (geld), n. [Occurs in mod. E. only as a 
historical term, referring to the AS. period; 
often written, improp., gelt, after G. geld, which 
is pronounced and was formerly (in MHG. and 
OHG.) written gelt, also gild (ML. geldum, gil- 
dum); repr. AS. geld, gild, gyld, a payment, 
tribute (= D. geld, money, = OHG. MHG. gelt, 
payment, tribute, tax, G. geld, money, = Dan. 
gjaeld = Sw. gold, debt, = Goth, gild, payment, 
tribute), < geldan, gildan, gieldan, gyldan, pay, 
> E. yield: see yield and gild 2 .] A payment, 
tax, tribute, or fine : in modern histories and 
law-books in reference to the Anglo-Saxon 
period, chiefly in composition, as in Danegeld, 
wergeld or wergild, etc. 
All these the king granted unto them, . . . free from 
all yells and payments. Fuller, Waltham Abbey, p. 7. 
The payment or non-payment of the geld is a matter 
which appears in every page of the Survey. 
E. A. Freeman, Norman Conquest, V. 2. 
geldablet, gildablet (gel'-, gil'da-bl), a. [< AF. 
gildable, guldablc; as geld 2 , gild 2 , + -able.'] Lia- 
ble to the payment of taxes ; subject to taxa- 
tion. 
Thus each plough in a three-field manor normally tilled 
120 acres, which counted for fiscal purposes as two geld- 
able carucates, whereas in a two-field manor the annual 
tillage of each plough counted only as one geldable caru- 
cate. Isaac Taylor, N. and Q., 7th ser., II. 406. 
gelder (gel'der), n. [< ME. geldere; < geldi,v., 
+ -pi' 1 .] One who castrates animals. 
No sow-gelder did blow his horn, 
To geld a cat, but cried Reform. 
S. Butler, Hudibras, I. ii. 537. 
gelder -rose, n. See guelder-rose. 
gelding (gel'ding), n. [< ME. gelding, a eu- 
nuch, a castrated horse, < Icel. geldingr, m., a 
wether, a eunuch, < geldr, barren, -t- -ingr = 
AS. -ing = E. -ing 3 , a suffix denoting origin: 
see geld 1 , a., and -ing 3 .] 1. A castrated ani- 
mal ; specifically, a castrated horse. 
My gayest gelding I thee gave, 
To ride where ever liked thee. 
Greensleeves (Child's Ballads, IV. 242). 
I will rather trust . . . a thief to walk my ambling weld- 
ing. Shak., M. W. of W., ii. 2. 
2f. A castrated man ; a eunuch. 
And the qelding seide, lo watir, who f orbedith me to be 
baptised ? Wyclif, Acts viii. 36 (Oxf.). 
Geldrian, a. and n. See Gueldrian. 
geldumt, n. [ML., payment: see geld 2 .] The 
philosopher's stone. 
Oelechia (je-le'ki-a), n. [NL. (Hiibner, 1816), 
< G_r. frfMxm, sleeping on the earth, < yfi, earth, 
+ AXC, bed.] A very large genus of tineid 
moths, typical of the family Gelechiida;. These 
moths are wide-ranging, and present great variations of 
habit, some being case-bearers, others leaf-miners, others 
again gall-makers. The British Museum catalogue of 1864 
contained 420 species, and nearly 200 have Ijeen described 
for North America. See cut under [fall-moth. 
2478 
Gelechiidse (jel-e-ki'i-de), . pi. [NL., < Ge- 
lechia + -idle.] A group of tineid moths, rated 
as a family of the superfamily Tineina, typified 
by the genus GelecMa. Stainton. AlsoGclechidte. 
geleem (ge-lem'), n. [Pers. gilim, a blanket.] 
A carpet made of goat's wool and having the 
pattern alike on both sides. The fabric is thin 
and without pile. Also galim. 
gelid (jel'id), a. [< L. gelidus, cool, cold, < ge- 
luin (gen. geli), also gelus (abl. gelu), LL. gen- 
erally gelu, cold, frost, akin to E. cool 1 , cold, 
chill 1 .] Cold ; very cold ; icy. [Chiefly poeti- 
cal.] 
The mass of blood 
Within me is a standing lake of fire, 
Curled with the cold wind of my gelid sighs. 
B. Jonson, New Inn, v. 1. 
While sea-born gales their gelid wings expand, 
To winnow fragrance round. the smiling land. 
Qoldsmith, Traveller, 1. 121. 
gelidity (je-lid'i-ti), n. [< gelid + -ity.] The 
state of being gelid ; extreme cold. 
Gelidium (je-lid'i-um), n. [NL., < L. gelum, ge- 
lus, gelu, cold, frost: see gelid.] A widely dif- 
fused genus of florideous marine alg, having 
narrowly linear ornearly terete much-branched 
fronds of dense Structure. The cystocarps are im- 
mersed in the frond and contain spores attached to an axile 
placenta. One of the commonest species is G. cornevm. 
gelidly (jel'id-li), adv. In a gelid or very cold 
manner; coldly. 
gelidness (jel'id-nes), n. The state or quality 
of being gelid ; coldness. 
gelineae (je-lin'e-e), n. pi. [NL., < L. gelum, ge- 
lus, gelu, cold, frost: see gelid.] In bot., cells 
in algals secreting vegetable jelly. 
gell (gel), n. A dialectal variant of girl. Com- 
pare gal 2 . [Prov. Eng.] 
She's a beauty thou thinks an' soa is scoors o' gellt. 
Tennymn, Northern Farmer, New Style, st. 4. 
gellet, An obsolete form of. jelly' 1 . 
Gellert's green. See green 1 . 
Gelliinae (jel-i-i'ne), n. pi. [NL., < Gellius + 
-in<e.] A subfamily of Heterorhaphidce, typi- 
fied by the genus Gellius, having no cortex or 
fistuloe, microscleres in form of stigmata, and 
megascleres as oxea or strongyla. Ridley and 
Dendy. 
Gellius (jel'i-us), n. [NL.] The typical genus 
of Gellima. J. E. Gray. 
gellyt, n. An obsolete spelling of jelly 1 . 
Gelocnelidon (jel"o-ke-li'don), n. [NL. (Brehm, 
1830), also Geliclielidon, < Gr. ye/tuf, laughter, 
yehav, laugh, + ^fAiduv, a swallow.] A notable 
genus of terns, of the subfamily Sterninte, char- 
acterized by the stout bill, like a gull's. G. nilo- 
tica or G. anglica is the gull-billed tern, a nearly cosmo- 
politan species, common in the United States. It is 14 
Gull-billed Tem {Gelocttrlfdon ftilotica). 
inches long, 34 in expanse of wings, with a moderately 
forked tail, pearly-blue mantle, white under parts, and 
black cap, bill, and feet. The genus is also called Laropin. 
gelofert, n. An obsolete form of gillyflower. 
geloscopy (je-los'^o-pi), n. [< Gr. j-ftuf, laugh- 
ter, + moTreiv, view.] A kind of divination 
drawn from laughter, or a method of ascer- 
taining the qualities and character of a person 
from observation of his way of laughing. 
gelose (je'los), n. [< gel(atin) + -ose.] A 
chemical product obtained from Chinese and 
Ceylon moss. It resembles gelatin in its property of 
gelatinizing, but differs in certain chemical reactions, not 
being precipitated by tannic acid. It is much used in 
China and the East for soups and jellies. See agar-agar. 
geloust, gelousiet. Middle English forms of 
jealous, jealousy. 
gelsemia (jel-se'mi-a), n. [NL., < gelsemium.] 
Same as gelsemine. 
gelsemine (jel'se-min), n. [Also written gelse- 
min (NL. gelsemina); < gelsemium + -ine 2 .] A 
colorless, inodorous solid alkaloid, intensely 
bitter, obtained from Gelsemium sempert'ireng, 
and used in medicine in the treatment of cer- 
tain inflammatory affections. 
Gemara 
Gelsemium (jel-se'rni-um), n. [NL., less com- 
monly (in the second sense) gelseminum, < It. 
gelsomino, jasmine, 
the plant being 
known in the United 
States as the wild, 
yellow, or Carolina 
jasmine, though not 
related to the true 
jasmines : see jas- 
mine.] 1. A genus 
of twining shrubs of 
the order Logania- 
ce<B, with opposite en- 
tire evergreen leaves 
and fragrant yellow 
flowers. There are three 
species, two natives of 
eastern Asia, and the 
third, G. sempervirens, 
the yellow jasmine of the 
southern United States, 
found in woods and low 
grounds from Virginia to Texas. Its root has poisonous 
properties inducing paralysis, and the tincture is used 
medicinally in various diseases. 
2. [I.e.] The root of this plant, or the tincture 
prepared from it, used as a drug. 
gelt 1 (gelt). An occasional preterit and past 
participle of geld 1 . 
geltH (gelt), n. [< gelt, pp. of geld 1 , v.] A 
gelding. 
The spayed gelts they esteem the most profitable. 
Mortimer, Husbandry, 
gelt'-'t, n. See geld 2 . 
gelt 3 t (gelt), n. [Avar, of gilt 1 .] Gilding; gilt. 
I wonne her with a gyrdle of gelt. 
Speiuer, Shep. Cal., February. 
gelust, a. A Middle English form of jealous. 
gem (Jem), TO. [< ME. gemme, < OF. gemme, 
geme,jame, F. gemme = Pr. gemma = Sp. yema 
= Pg. gemma, a precious stone, gomo, a bud, = 
It. gemma, a bud, a precious stone, = AS. gimm 
(also in comp. gim-stan), ME. gimme, gimme, a 
precious stone, = OHG. gimma, MHG. gimme, 
G. gemme, < L. gemma, a swelling bud, a jewel, a 
gem.] If. A bud ; especially, a leaf-bud. See 
gemma, 1. 
Take hem that gemmes V or VI ascende 
ffro the elder brannche. 
Palladiut, Husbondrie (E. E. T. 8.), p. 64. 
Like the gem of a vine, or the bud of a rose, plain "in- 
dices" and significations of life, and principles of juice and 
sweetness. Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 18S6), I. 764. 
2. A precious stone of any kind, as the dia- 
mond, ruby, topaz, emerald, etc., especially 
when cut and polished for ornamental pur- 
poses ; a jewel. 
Full many a gem of purest ray serene 
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear. 
Gray, Elegy. 
3. Something likened to a gem; a beautiful, 
splendid, or costly object. 
Thy brothyr Troylus eke, that gemme of gentle deedes, 
To thinke howe he abused was, alas my heart it bleedes. 
Gascoigne, Dan Bartholomew of Bath. 
The brightest gems in a' your crown 
Your seven fair sons wad be. 
Slrian Anna; Fair Annie (Child's Ballads, III. 386). 
Wert thou (Ireland) all that I wish thee, great, glorious, 
and free, 
First flow'r of the earth, and first gem of the sea. 
Moore, Remember Thee. 
4. In entom., the small geometrid moth Canipto- 
gramma fluviata: an English collectors' name. 
Apostles' gems. See apostle. Artificial gems. See 
artificial. Engraved gem. See gem-engraving. 
gem (Jem), i'. t.; pret. and pp. gemmed, ppr. gem- 
ming. [< gem, n.] If. To put forth in buds; 
bud. 
Last 
Rose, as in dance, the stately trees, and spread 
Their branches hung with copious fruit, or fjemm'd 
Their blossoms. Milton, P. L., vii. 326. 
2. To adorn with gems, jewels, or precious 
stones. 8. To bespangle; embellish or adorn 
as if with gems : as, foliage gemmed with dew- 
drops. 
The fair star 
That gems the glittering coronet of morn. 
Shelley, Queen Mab, i. 
The very insects, as they sipped the dew that gemmed 
the tender grass of the meadows, joined in the joyous 
epithalamium. Irving, Knickerbocker, p. 109. 
England is studded and gemmed with castles and palaces. 
Irving. 
A coppice gemm'd with green and red. 
Tennyson, Geraint. 
Gemara (ge-ma'rS), n. [Heb., tradition.] In 
Jewish lit., the second part of the Talmud, con- 
sisting of commentaries on the Mishna or first 
part. The Gemara was originally written in a corrupt 
Aramaic dialect, and is in two divisions, the Jerusalem or 
