gammon

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The machine did it, same as it would you or me if we weren't careful But that wasn't how poor old Grip was hurt How then I feel sure he was hurt with an iron bar Why, who would hurt him in that brutal way Someone who hated him Gammon Very well--gammon, then.

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Definitions (25)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (9)

  1. noun A victory in backgammon reached before the loser has succeeded in removing a single piece.
  2. transitive verb To defeat in backgammon by scoring a gammon.
  3. noun Misleading or nonsensical talk; humbug.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (9)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (5)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (2)

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Examples (50)

  • The chairs and tables is gammon, and so is the stools and the screens Mr. Moulder, I didn't call your tea and coffee and brandy gammon You can't; and you wouldn't do any harm if you did. —  Orley Farm
  • It's gammon, gammon, gammon! —  Orley Farm
  • The most of what you says is gammon Mr. Moulder, I don't exactly know what you mean by that word gammon, but it's objectionable. —  Orley Farm
  • If what I say is correct, it can't be--gammon. —  Orley Farm
  • Now that isn't gammon--if I know what gammon is It will have been already seen that the party in question were assembled at Mr. Moulder's room in Great St. Helen's. There had been a little supper party there to commemorate the final arrangements as to the coming marriage, and the four were now sitting round the fire with their glasses of hot toddy at their elbows. —  Orley Farm
 

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Etymologies (7)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. Probably from Middle English gamen, gammen, game, from Old English gamen.
  2. Origin unknown.
  3. Middle English gambon, from Old North French, from gambe, leg, from Late Latin gamba, hoof; see gambol.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (4)

  1. Better spelled gammen, early modern English gamen, from Middle English gammen, gamen, the earlier form of game, sport, jest: see game. Cf. backgammon.
  2. Early modern English gamen; from gammon, n. Cf. game, v., gamble, v.
  3. Formerly sometimes gambone; from Old French gambon, French jambon (= Spanish jamon = Italian gambone), a gammon, from Old French gambe, French jambe (= Spanish Italian gamba), leg: see gamb and jamb.
  4. from gammon, n.
 

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/ˈgæmən/
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