Obs. Also 7 trangame, 7–8 -gham, -gum. [Origin obscure: the first two quots. suggest that it was a fictitious law-term. Obs. after 1719, but recalled by Scott.
In quot. 1712 misquoted by Johnson as trangram, which erroneous spelling has been followed by later dictionaries, some of which further associate it with TANGRAM (known only from 1864). Cf. TRANKUM.)
An odd or intricate contrivance of some kind; a knick-knack, a puzzle; a toy, trinket; a gewgaw, trumpery ornament. Applied to anything that the speaker views with contempt.
a. 1658. Cleveland, Engagement Stated, 21. When neither Arts nor Arms can serve to fight, And wrest a Title from its Law and Right, Must Malice piece the Trangum? and make clear The Scruple?
1672. Eachard, Hobbs’ State Nat., 21. A Cause is a certain pack or aggregate of trangams, which being all packed up and chorded close together, they may then truly be said in Law to constitute a compleat and essential pack.
1676. Wycherley, Pl. Dealer, III. i. But go, thou Trangame, and carry back those Trangames, Which thou hast stol’n or purloin’d.
1678. Mrs. Behn, Sir P. Fancy, IV. iii. Get you gone, and finely your knacks and tranghams.
1679. Oldham, Sat. Jesuits, iv. (1682), 85. These [pretended sacred relics] are the Fathers Implements, and Tools, Their gawdy Trangums for inveigling Fools.
[1686. Goad, Celest. Bodies, III. ii. 399. He, who looks upon Architecture and Fortification to be only Trangunims, is a Wise Man.]
1712. Arbuthnot, John Bull, III. vi. Hey day, what’s here? What a Devil’s the meaning of all these Trangams and Gimcracks, Gentlemen?
1719. J. Roberts, Spinster, 349. If they should rise from the dead now, and see you dressed up in your painted trangums, and East India rags, while all the poor Spinners hung about you crying for bread and for work.
1820. Scott, Abbot, xix. When yon usher … began to inquire what Popish trangam you were wearing…. This comes of carrying Popish nick-nackets about you.
