or giglet, goglet, gigle, gig, subs. (old).—A wanton; a mistress. GIGLET (West of England) = a giddy, romping girl; and in Salop a flighty person is called a GIGGLE. Cf., GIG, sense 1.
1533. UDALL, Floures for Latine Spekynge, fo. 101. What is the matter, foolish GIGLOTTE? What meanest thou? Whereat laughest thou?
1567. HARMAN, A Caveat or Warening for Common Cursetors, leaf 22, back. Therefore let us assemble secretly into the place where he hath appoynted to meet this GYLEOT that is at your house.
1603. SHAKESPEARE, Measure for Measure, v. 1. Let him speak no more: away with those GIGLOTS too, and with the other confederate companion.
1611. COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. Gadrouillette: f. A minx, GIGLE, flirt, callet, Gixie.
1620. MASSINGER, The Fatal Dowry, Act. iii.
| Rom. If this be | |
| The recompense of striving to preserve | |
| A wanton GIGGLET honest, very shortly | |
| ’Twill make all mankind pandars. |
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. GIGELERS, wanton women.
Adj. (old).—Loose in word and deed. Also GIGLET-LIKE, and GIGLET-WISE = like a wanton.
1598. SHAKESPEARE, 1 Henry IV., v. 1.
| Young Talbot was not born | |
| To be the pillage of a GIGLOT wench. |
1600. E. FAIRFAX, trans. Jerusalem Delivered, vi., 72.
| That thou wilt gad by night in GIGLET-WISE, | |
| Amid thine armed foes to seek thy shame. |
