Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#205022 03/05/12 11:02 AM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Transmitted from the wwftd

"Some called her a gilflurt, a proud minks. You had no
more chance than a cat.. without claws if you entered
into a dispute with her."
- Susan Sayer, Xanthippe (fr. Car Maintenance.. (1997))

Gilflurt is obvious to me, but I would gladly also know what 'proud minks' means. Just someone wearing those little
animals's hides? The fur?


BranShea #205025 03/05/12 12:23 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
It's actually spelled minx.

Faldage #205026 03/05/12 02:00 PM
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,290
It's actually spelled minx.

Probably spelled that way, because they looked up the definition of gilflurt in Grose's dictionary: "A proud minks, a vain capricious woman," (link)


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
zmjezhd #205027 03/05/12 02:22 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Initially I thought gilflurt was girlflurt and a misspelling of girlflirt with the obvious meaning. I just now noticed the missing R in gil- so now I'm not so sure.

Faldage #205030 03/05/12 02:43 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
here's the whole entry, for those who didn't see it; make of it what you will..

the worthless word for the day is: gilflurt

[see also flirt-gills, Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet]
obs. a proud minks, a vain capricious woman
{Grose's 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue}

"Some called her a gilflurt, a proud minks. You had no
more chance than a cat.. without claws if you entered
into a dispute with her."
- Susan Sayer, Xanthippe (fr. Car Maintenance.. (1997))

Faldage #205031 03/05/12 02:46 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,075
My first thought was to link gilflurt with gill-flower (or gilly-flower) which is an old name for the wallflower, erysimum
No idea if I'm right or way off!


I'm immortal until proven otherwise
Faldage #205036 03/05/12 05:04 PM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Gil ìs girl, at least in the days of Grose.

Definition taken from The 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, originally by Francis Grose.
. Every jack has his gill; i.e. every jack has his gillian, or female mate.

What makes me laugh in this definition is " figuratively used for woman". What is a gillian??

BranShea #205037 03/05/12 06:28 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Gillian is a girl's name (soft g), a variant of Julian(a); it's like every Jack has his Jill.

and speaking of Shakespeare,
I am none of his flurt-gils, I am none of his skaines mates..

I won't define these usages here, as I would probly get moderated, but YCLIU.

you can do that here

tsuwm #205038 03/05/12 06:42 PM
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,295
Ah, that makes sense, thanks.


Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,915
Posts229,990
Members9,198
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
testawad, Bill_L, achz, MAGNVSTALSMA, Burlyfish
9,198 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 1,000 guests, and 2 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,956
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,953
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2025 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5