gerontes 
sia of Sparta consisted of the two kings, as its presidents, 
and thirty members. Candidates for membership were not 
eligible under sixty years of age, nor unless of disti ngulshed 
character and station. The gerontes held office for life; 
their functions were partly deliberative, in that they pre- 
pared measures to be laid before the popular assembly, 
partly executive, and partly judicial. With the ephors 
and kings, they constituted the supreme authority of the 
state. 
gerontikon (ge-ron'ti-kou), n. ; pi. gerontika 
(-ka). [LGr. yepovrui&v, neut. of Gr. ytpovmof, 
of an old man, < yepuv (yc/mvr-), an old man.] 
In the Gr. Ch., a book containing a collection 
of anecdotes and apothegms or sayings of an- 
cient anchorites and monastic fathers. 
This is one of the collections of Apophthegmata or 
Gerontika so common in monastic MSS., of which prob- 
ably no two are alike. Amer, Jour. Philol., VII. 220. 
gerontocracy (jer-on-tok'ra-si), n. [< Gr. yepuv 
(yepovr-), an old man, + Kp'Arot;, power.] Gov- 
ernment by old men. 
I agree with Mr. Lowe that we are in danger of engen- 
dering both a gerontocracy and a plutocracy. 
Gladstone, quoted in W. R. Greg's Misc. Essays, 
[1st ser., p. 172. 
gerontogeous (je-ron-to-je'us), a. [< Gr. ytpuv 
(yepovr-), an old man, + yij, the earth.] Be- 
longing to the old world : said of plants, etc. 
gerontoxon (jer-on-tok'son), n. [< Gr. yepuv 
(yepovT-), an old man, + T<5fov, a bow.] In med., 
same as arcus seniUs (which see, under arcus). 
geropigia, jerupigia (jer-o-, jer-Q-pij'i-a), n. 
[Pg. geropiga, Sp. gerapliega, ME. gerapigra, 
ierapigra (ef. mod. pop. E. hickery-pickery), all 
corruptions of hiera-picra, q. v.] A factitious 
liquor exported from Portugal for adulterating 
port and other wines, and also other beverages. 
Its composition is various, but it generally contains about 
one third of strong brandy and two thirds of unfermentcd 
grape-juice, strongly sweetened, and colored by rhatany- 
root, logwood, etc. Very deleterious ingredients are some- 
times found in it on analysis. 
-gerous. [L. -ger, -gera, -gerum : see -ger and 
-ous.] A terminal element in words of Latin 
origin, the common adjective form of -ger, 
' -bearing,' as in cornigerous, etc. 
gerrardt, [ME., also gerard; with suffix 
-ard, equiv. to OF. guerreor, garraour, a war- 
rior, enemy, < guerre, war : see warrior.] An 
enemy; specifically, the enemy that is, the 
devil; fiend. 
The gerrard thus gau hir bigile, 
And me also, alias that while ! 
Holy Rood (E. E. T. S.), p. 64. 
Gerres (jer'ez), n. [< L. gerres, an inferior salted 
sea-fish.] ACuvierian (1829) genus of acanthop- 
terygian fishes. 
Gerrhonotidse (jer-o-not'i-de), n. pi. [NL-, < 
Gerrhonotus + -idee.] A family of lacertilians, 
typified by the genus Gerrhonotus: scarcely dis- 
tinguished from Anguidce. 
Gerrhonotus (jer-o-no'tus), n. [NL., < Gr. 
ytppov, anything made of wickerwork, as a 
shield, screen, etc., + vorof, back.] A genus of 
2501 
typical genus of the family Gerrhosarid(t> ; the 
basket-lizards. G. flavigularis is a South African spc- 
Gtrrhonotus cormleus. 
lizards, of the family Anguidce, or giving name 
to the Gerrhonotidce. There are several species in the 
western United States, as 0. nobilis, Q. principis, and G. 
multwarinatus. 
Gerrhosauridae (jer-o-sa'ri-de), n. pi. [NL., 
< Gerrhosaurus T -idee.] A family of true la- 
certilians, typified by the genus Gerrltosaurus. 
They are characterized by having the clavicles dilated 
proximally, and frequently loop-shaped ; arches present ; 
the supratemporal fossa roofed over ; the premaxillary 
single ; and the body with osteodermal plates with regu- 
lar tubules, formed by a transverse plate anastomosing 
with perpendicular plates. It is a family of Africa and 
Madagascar, containing a number of species capable of 
running with preat celerity and of burrowing to some ex- 
tent in the sand. 
Gerrhosaurus (jer-o-sa'rus), . [NL., < Gr. 
yeppov, anything made of wickerwork, as a 
shield, screen, etc., + aavftof, a lizard.] The 
Gtrrftosanrits flavigularis. 
cies, about 12 inches long, of a yellowish-brown color with 
lighter and darker markings. 
gerrick (ger'ik), n. [E. dial. (Cornish); origin 
obscure. Cf. gerrock (?).] A local English 
(Cornish) name of the garfish, Belone vulgaris. 
Gerridse (jer'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Gerris or 
Gerres + -idai.] 1. A family of water-bugs, 
or aquatic heteropterous insects, typified by 
the genus Gerris. See Hydrobatidce. Also 
written Gerrida, Gerrides. 2. A family of 
acanthopterygian fishes, typified by the genus 
Gerres. They have a compressed body, protractile jaws, 
lower pharynseal bones generally coalesced in the adult, 
a long dorsal fin with the anterior portion spinigerous, anal 
fin moderate or short and with two to four spines, and four 
complete sets of gills and pseudobranchite. The species 
are numerous, and representatives occur in all tropical 
and subtropical seas. Most of them are of small size, 
rarely exceeding 5 or 6 inches. 
Gerris (jer'is), . [NL. ; cf . Gr. yeppov, a shield 
or other thing made of wickerwork.] The 
name-giving genus of bugs of the family Ger- 
rid(B. Fabricius, 1794. 
The old name, Gerris, by which many of these insects 
[Hydrobatidce] were formerly known, has become obsolete, 
by reason of its having been used for various insects not 
generically connected. . . . Our most common species, 
G. remigis, has been taken from Gerris, and is now placed 
in the genus Hygrotrechus. Stand. Nat. Hist., II. 267. 
gerrock (ger'ok), n. [Sc., also spelled gerrack 
and gerrocks. Cf. gerrat, gerrit, a samlet, per- 
haps < Gael, gearr, short.] A local Scotch 
name of the coalfish. 
gerrymander (ger'i-man-der), n. [In humor- 
ous imitation of salamander, from a fancied re- 
semblance to this animal of a map of one of the 
districts formed in the redistricting of Massa- 
chusetts by the legislature in 1811, when El- 
bridge Gerry was governor. The redistricting 
was intended (it was believed at the instigation 
of Gerry) to secure unfairly the election of a 
majority of Democratic senators. It is now 
known, however, that he was opposed to the 
measure.] In U. S. politics, an arbitrary ar- 
rangement of the political divisions of a State, 
in disregard of the natural or proper boundaries 
as indicated by geography or position, made so 
as to give one party an unfair advantage in 
elections. The effect of such a proceeding has some- 
times been to secure to a party a majority in the legisla- 
ture of a State, or in its quota of members of Congress, at 
an election in which the opposite party received a majority 
of the total number of votes. 
gerrymander (ger'i-man-der), v. t. [< gerry- 
mander, .] 1. To district, as a State, by the 
unfair arrangement called a gerrymander ; ar- 
range arbitrarily and unfairly, as the boun- 
daries of political divisions, for the sake of par- 
tisan advantage in elections. 2. To shift and 
manipulate, as facts, so as to force an agree- 
ment with a preconceived notion. [Rare.] 
Gerrymandering dialect phenomena cannot but hurt a 
domain of philology that is sadly in lack of material with 
which to operate. Tram. Amer. Philol. Ass. , XVIII. 123. 
gersdorffite (gerz'dorf-It), n. [Named after 
Hpfrath von Gersdorf, proprietor of a nickel- 
mine where the mineral was first found.] A 
mineral consisting of nickel sulphid and nickel 
arsenide, having a silver-white to steel-gray 
color and metallic luster. 
Gershonite (ger'shon-it), w. [< Gershon + 
-i<e 2 .] Among the ancient Hebrews, a descen- 
dant of Gershon, son of Levi, and a member of 
the second in rank of the three great families 
of the Levites. It was the duty of the Ger- 
shonites, when the tabernacle was moved, to 
carry the coverings and hangings. 
gery 
ger some t, gersume t , [Also gressom, grasx nm. 
greSMi/i/, i/rcxxoim; i/ri'xniuiie, gressoin, etc.; < ME. 
gersum, < AS. gwrsum, gersum, treasure, riches, < 
Icel. giirsemi, gcrsemi, a costly thing, a jewel.] 
1. Riches; wealth; treasure. 2. Bonus; ex- 
tra payment, such as a fine exacted from a ten- 
ant on the transfer of his holding, or a sum by 
way of commutation in advance in compen- 
sation for a reduction of the rate of rent under 
the lease. 
Norwich . . . paide unto the king twenty pounds; . . . 
but now it paieth seventy pounds by weight to the king, 
and an hundred shillings for a gersunie to the queene. 
Holland, tr. of Camden's Britain, p. 474. 
gerund (jer'und), n. [< LL. gerundimn, also 
called gerundivus modus (see gerundive), < ge- 
rundus, another form of gerendus, neut. gerun- 
dum, gerendum, only in oblique cases, the ge- 
rundive and gerund, respectively, of gerere, 
carry, carry on, perform: so called because, 
according to the old grammarians, the gerund 
prop, expressed the doing or the necessity of 
doing something.] The name given originally 
by grammarians to a Latin verbal noun, used 
in oblique cases with an infinitival value: as, 
amandi, amando, amandum, 'loving'; hence 
applied also in other languages to somewhat 
kindred formations : e. g.. in Sanskrit to forms 
in tvd, ya, etc., having the value of indeclin- 
able adjectives: as, gatva, -gatya, 'going'; in 
Anglo-Saxon to a dative infinitive after to: 
as, god to etanne, 'good to eat' (that is, 'good 
for eating'). Abbreviated ger. 
gerund-grinder (jer'und-grin // der), n. A ped- 
ant; a pedagogue. [Humorous.] 
The world is governed by names ; and with the word 
pedagogue has been ludicrously associated the idea of a 
pedant, a mere plodder, a petty tyrant, a gerund-grinder, 
and a bum-brusher. V. Knox, Winter Evenings, lix. 
Here is the glass for pedagogues, preceptors, tutors, 
governours, gerund-grinders, and bear-leaders to view 
themselves in. Sterne, Tristram Shandy, iv. 112. 
gerund-grinding (jer'und-grin"ding), . Plod- 
ding or pedantic grammatical or other study or 
teaching. [Humorous.] 
Gerund-grinding and parsing are usually prepared for 
at the last moment. Hone's Every-day Book, II. 33. 
Other departments of schooling had been infinitely 
more productive for our young friend than the gerund- 
grinding one. Carlyle, Sterling, i. 4. 
gerundial (je-run'di-al), a. andw. [< L. gerun- 
dium, gerund, + -at'.] I. a. Same as gerun- 
dival. 
II. n. Same as gerundive. 
Not to mention exceptional cases, the Latins regularly 
employed the gerundial both actively and passively. 
G. P. Marsh, Lects. on Eng. Lang., xxix. 
gerundially (je-run'di-al-i), adv. In the man- 
ner of a gerund. 
The Icelandic active participle is used gerundially as 
a passive. G. P. Marsh, Lects. on Eng. Lang., xxix. 
gerundival (jf-run'di-val or jer-un-di'val), a. 
[< gerundive -f- -al.~] Pertaining to or of the 
nature of a gerundive. Also gerundial. 
The line between the gerundival and the more ordinary 
adjective use is in other cases not always easy to draw. 
Whitney, Trans. Amer. Philol. Ass., XV. 119. 
gerundive (je-run'div), . [= F. gerondif = 
Pr. gerundiu '= Sp. Pg. It. gerundio = D. ge- 
rondium = G. Dan. gerundium; < LL. gerundi- 
vus: see gerund.'} A name given originally by 
Latin grammarians to the future participle 
passive, as amandus, 'to be loved, requiring to 
be loved,' but also used in the grammars of 
other languages, as Sanskrit, to indicate ver- 
bal adjectives having a like office. Also gerun- 
dial. 
gerundively (je-run'div-li), adv. In the man- 
ner of a gerund or gerundive ; as or in place 
of a gerund or gerundive. 
gerusia (ge-ro'si-a), n. [L. gerusia, < Gr. yepov- 
aia, < yipuv (yepovT-), an old man. Cf. senate, of 
similar origin.] A senate or council of elders in 
many ancient Dorian states, particularly that of 
Sparta. It was the aristocratic element in the Dorian 
polity, corresponding to the boule, or democratic senate, 
in most Ionic states. See gerontes. 
gervao (ger-va'o), n. [Braz.] The Stachytar- 
pheta Jamaicensis, a verbenacepus herb of the 
West Indies and South America, reputed to 
possess valuable medicinal properties. The 
leaves have been used to adulterate tea. 
gerver (jer'ver), n. [Origin obscure.] A name 
of the spotted rusa deer. Also called gower. 
geryt, a. [ME. (equiv. to mod. E. *gyry), < *ger, 
"gere, *geer (also in comp. gerful, q. v.), < OF. 
gir = Pr. gir = Sp. Pg. It. giro, gyre, turn (see 
gyre, n.), + -yl.] Changeable; fickle. 
