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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Page 2 of 2 1 2 Re: "... them as pinched it done her in," revisited, courtesy of Michael Holden twosleepy #180902 12/13/08 05:00 AM Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 1,067 Tasmania The Pook old hand The Pook old hand Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 1,067 Tasmania Originally Posted By: twosleepy I did know all of them except "gaff". I've been to England and Scotland, several times, and have English relatives who come to visit every year. But even with all that experience, I've never heard (or read) it. I'm quite sure there are many others I don't know, so I'll pick them up as they show up! :0) Yes I would have mistaken it for a contraction of 'gaffer' - in other words, an old man, probably her senile husband or father, that needed looking after. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: "... them as pinched it done her in," revisited, courtesy of Michael Holden The Pook #180928 12/15/08 01:42 AM Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 956 Auckland, New Zealand olly old hand olly old hand Joined: Dec 2006 Posts: 956 Auckland, New Zealand Originally Posted By: The Pook Yes I would have mistaken it for a contraction of 'gaffer' - in other words, an old man, probably her senile husband or father, that needed looking after. A gaffer in the film/TV industry down these parts is usually the guy in charge of lighting. The term stems, as I have have recently found out, from the old English term for the person who would tend to the street lamps using a 'gaff' to reach and snuff out or light the wicks. A gaff after a time became the term given to an old timer given the task of tending the lamps. So, 'Look after the gaff while I go to the shops' could mean 'keep an eye on the old man' Ta. A 'gaff' in fishing terms is used to hook and lift a fish onto the boat lest you snap your line trying to lift it out of the water. I would tend to go with Tswums definition though, A place of residence or work. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: "... them as pinched it done her in," revisited, courtesy of Michael Holden olly #181036 12/19/08 06:56 PM Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,916 Likes: 2 Land of the Flat Water LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 9,916 Likes: 2 Land of the Flat Water The terms gaff and gaffe are used in the books by Anne Perry a sort of Sherlock Holmes in the l800's. .I should have remembered her works before my previous post, but reading what followed it, woke me up. Last edited by LukeJavan8; 12/19/08 06:59 PM. ----please, draw me a sheep---- Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Page 2 of 2 1 2 Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,913 Posts229,333 Members9,182 Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011 Newest Members Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV 9,182 Registered Users Who's Online Now 0 members (), 747 guests, and 1 robot. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 32 A C Bowden 17 ddrinnan 1 Top Posters wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 wofahulicodoc 10,542 tsuwm 10,542 LukeJavan8 9,916 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

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