well, I couldn't just give it a go-by, could I.
here is the compleat and unexpurgated purple stuff; you figure out which obsolete nonsense he meant.
1. The action of going by in various senses; the passing of a river, of time, or of a body from place to place. Obs. exc. in nonce-uses.
1673 Evelyn Mem. (1857) II. 92 Now growing into years, yet thinking little of this go-by. 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 100 All stirrings one and other are nothing but go-byes or shiftings of bodies. 1869 Blackmore Lorna D. vii, In the go-by of the river he is gone as a shadow goes.
b. Coursing and Racing. The action of getting in front of another dog or horse. (See also 3a.)
1611 Markham Countr. Content. i. vii. (1615) 105 If a coate shall be more than two turnes and a goe by, or the bearing of the Hare equall with two turnes. 1816 Sporting Mag. XLVII. 43 The other horse+determined not to be again surprised by a go-by. 1875 ‘Stonehenge’ Brit. Sports i. iii. viii. §3. 269 The Go-bye is where a greyhound starts a clear length behind his opponent, and yet passes him in a straight run, and gets a clear length before him.
2. concr. Something that ‘goes by’, or is superior to (something else). rare.
1823 Examiner 710/1 The Cataract of the Ganges amounts to a go-by to every thing that has preceded it.
3. Phr. to give (slang, †to tip) the go-by to: a. To outstrip, leave behind. (Cf. sense 1b.) †Also, to leave.
1642 Fuller Holy & Prof. St. iv. xvii. 328 Who had rather others should make a ladder of his dead corps to scale a city by it, than a bridge of it whilest alive for his punies to give him the Goe-by, and passe over him to preferment. 1688 Miege Gt. Fr. Dict. ii. s.v., To give one the go-by in a Race. 1797 M. Robinson Walsingham III. 260 What business have you in this lady's chamber?+Tip us the go-by, or I shall be apt to shew you the way. 1798 in Spirit Publ. Jrnls. (1799) II. 386 Does a man of fashion drive his curricle+passing his competitors?+He is then said to ‘Tip them the go-by’. 1825 Sporting Mag. XVI. 340 One dog gives another the go-by. 1833 Blackw. Mag. XXXIII. 846/2 We have given the go-by to our excellent friend Mitchelson's beautiful woods. 1835 Sir G. Stephen Adv. Search Horse xiv. (1841) 203 Eager to ‘give it the go by’, they put the horse to his speed.
b. To give the slip to, elude, escape from by artifice. †Also, to pass a deception on. Obs.
1659 B. Harris Parival's Iron Age 211 But the King, understanding of this division, gave Waller the go-by, returned towards Oxford [etc.] 1697 Collier Ess. Mor. Subj. i. (1709) 70 Except an Apprentice is fully instructed how to Adulterate, and Vernish, and give you the Go-by upon occasion, his Master may be charged with Neglect. 1720 Welton Suffer. Son of God I. ix. 211 He+found that they had not made for Jerusalem in their way Back, but had Given him the Go-by. 1836 Marryat Midsh. Easy xxxviii, We may give him the go-by by running through the Needles. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped ix. (1888) 74 A French ship+gave us the go-by in the fog.
c. To pass without notice, to disregard, slight; to ‘cut’ (a person); to evade (a difficulty). Also in indirect pass.
1654 [see gloat n.1]. 1658–9 Burton's Diary (1828) III. 398 If they can give you the go-by in it, the issue is obvious. 1712 S. Sewall Diary 22 Aug. (1879) II. 361 The Govr. speaks with some earnestness that we should not give the Ordinary Court the go-by, in taking off Entails. 1805 Edin. Rev. VI. 136 He gave the go-by to a multitude of toasts. 1833 Blackw. Mag. XXXIV. 987 In two of the Latin versions the difficulty is grappled with but not overcome; and in two it is given the go-by. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xlviii, Becky+gave Mrs. Washington White the go-by in the Ring. 1862 Burton Bk. Hunter ii. 115 Successive licensers had given the work a sort of go-by. 1880 McCarthy Own Times III. xlv. 382 It gave the go-by to such inconvenient questions. 1892 Law Times XCII. 156/2 A junior judge+sitting in another division, practically gives that order the go-by.
