[Ads-l] Subject: "gauding", 1799 -- a remarkable survival

George Thompson george.thompson at NYU.EDU
Fri Dec 9 01:15:12 UTC 2016


[I tried sending this with an image of the newspaper advertisement as an
attachment, but it was rejected.]

         Wanted to purchase,

A NEGRO Woman, without Children, to do the work of a small family, where
their washing is put out: a sober, steady, cleanly, and good natured Woman;
a tolerable good cook, and one not inclined to gauding.  One of such a
description will find a good place by applying at no. 161 Pearl-street,
where a fair trial will be expected before the price is paid.    F  One
from the Country would be preferred.

         New-York Gazette and General Advertiser (New York, New York) May
1, 1799, p. 3, col. 2



gaud, *v.2*

*Etymology: *? < Old French *gaudir* to rejoice, jest; or perhaps < gaud
*n.2* <http://ezproxy.library.nyu.edu:3578/view/Entry/77099#eid3272308>



  *intr.* To make merry; to sport, jest; to scoff (*at*).

1532   T. More *Confut. Tyndale* in *Wks.* 366/2   And yf [the battle]
walke on your syde then [you] gawde and glory.

1563   *2nd Tome Homelyes* Cert. Places Holy Script. i, in J. Griffiths *Two
Bks. Homilies* (1859) ii. 373   More reasonable it were for vain man to
learn and reverence the form of God's words, than to gaud at them to his
damnation.

1566   W. Painter *Palace of Pleasure* I. xxxii. f. 64,   In carpinge
gaudinge and iestinge at yonge gentlemen, and specially olde men.

1570   P. Levens *Manipulus Vocabulorum* sig. Dii/2,   To Gaude
scoffe, *scommari,
nugari*.

1579   T. North tr. Plutarch *Liues* 562   He was sporting and gauding with
his familiars.


​GAT​


-- 
George A. Thompson
The Guy Who Still Looks Stuff Up in Books.
Author of A Documentary History of "The African Theatre", Northwestern
Univ. Pr., 1998.

But when aroused at the Trump of Doom / Ye shall start, bold kings, from
your lowly tomb. . . .
L. H. Sigourney, "Burial of Mazeen", Poems.  Boston, 1827, p. 112

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