Dec 282022
A Dictionary of Australian Words and Terms – Australian Dictionary

By Gilbert H. Lawson, published in the 1920’s in Sydney, Australia.

A dictionary of Australian words and phrases, including the most commonly-used slang, technical terms, expressions, abbreviations and colloquialisms.

Although this dictionary is over 80 years old, it gives you a glimpse into the way people spoke in that era. Some words have the same meaning today, while others may have changed or are seldom used anymore.

If you’re reading Australian literature from this time period and earlier, such as works by Banjo Paterson, you may find this dictionary very helpful.

A  B  C  D  EF  G  H  IJ  K  L  M  N0  P  QR  S  T  UVWXYZ

– G –
Gabtalk.
Galahthe rose-breasted cockatoo.
Game, in theto be one of the affluent.
Gammonto deceive.
Gangerboss of navvies.
Gawkyawkward person.
Gazoba foolish person.
Geebungaboriginal name for small native plum.
Geewhizzexpressing surprise.
Get, to do aa hurried departure.
Gibbera rock.
Gibber-gunyahaboriginal home in cave.
Gill-birdanother name for wattle bird.
Ginaboriginal woman.
Ginka peculiar fellow.
Give it a goto make an attempt.
Gizzardthe heart.
Glassy eyea cold stare.
Glue-pota bad road.
Goanna
 
a large lizard, varying in size and colour. It lives both above and below the ground and in trees. Many are capable of swallowing a live ‘possum.
Goata fool.
Go himto want to fight.
Goin’ stiff ‘unsthieving from inebriates.
Gone westdead.
Goodoall right.
Goo-goo eyesaffectionate glance.
Gooleya stone.
Goosefoolish person.
Goosedfooled.
Go the whole pileto risk everything.
Grabto seize.
Grasshopper
 
a leaping, grass-feeding insect varying from less than an inch to two inches in length, with spare body and very long wings and legs.
Greeninexperienced person.
Grey nurse sharktype of Australian shark.
Griffin, the straightthe truth.
Groggyreeling; dazed.
Groucha complaint.
Grousesomething good.
Grubfood.
Gufffoolish talk.
Guffeddeceived.
Gullya shallow valley.
Gumpopular name for trees of the genus eucalyptus.
Gummyspecies of shark with small teeth.
Gum treevariety of eucalyptus.
Guntobacco pipe.
Gunyah
 
a blackfellow’s humpy, built of bark, sometimes around a tree, but not always, tapering from a peak at the top to a bell-shape at the bottom.
Guya person.
Guy, to do ato retreat.
Guyverpretence.

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