[ghost-writer]{n.} A writer whose identity remains a secret and whowrites for another who receives all the credit. •/It is rumored that JohnSmith’s best-selling novel was written by a ghost-writer./

[gift of gab] or [gift of the gab] {n. phr.}, {informal} Skillin talking; ability to make interesting talk that makes people believe you.•/Many men get elected because of their gift of gab./ •/Mr. Taylor’s giftof gab helped him get a good job./

[gild the lily] also [paint the lily] {v. phr.} To addunnecessarily to something already beautiful or good enough. •/To talk abouta beautiful sunset is to gild the lily./ •/For the beautiful girl to usemakeup would be to gild the lily./ •/Frank’s father is a millionaire, butFrank gilds the lily by saying he is a billionaire./

[gill] See: FED TO THE GILLS at FED UP, GREEN AROUND THE GILLS or PALEAROUND THE GILLS.

[gilt-edged]{adj.} Of the highest quality. •/Government saving bondsare considered by many to be a gilt-edged investment./

[gin mill]{n.}, {slang} A bar where liquor is sold. •/RushStreet in Chicago is full of gin mills./ Syn.: SPEAKEASY.

[G.I.] or ["government issue"] {n.} An American soldier. •/Afterthe war many GI’s were able to get a free education./

[gird one’s loins]{v. phr.}, {literary} To prepare for action; getready for a struggle or hard work. •/David girded up his loins and went outto meet the giant Goliath./ •/Seniors must gird their loins for the battlesof life./

[girl Friday]{n.} A very dependable and helpful female office worker;especially a secretary. •/Miss Johnson is the manager’s girl Friday./•/There was an advertisement in the newspaper for a girl Friday./

[girl friend]{n.}, {informal} 1. A female friend or companion.•/Jane is spending the night at her girlfriend’s house./ 2. A boy’s steadygirl; the girl or woman partner in a love affair; girl; sweetheart. •/John istaking his girl friend to the dance./ Contrast: BOYFRIEND.

[give] See: SILENCE GIVES CONSENT.

[give a buzz] See: GIVE A RING.

[give a cold shoulder] See: COLD SHOULDER.

[give a hand] See: LEND A HAND.

[give a hang] or [care a hang] {v. phr.}, {informal} To haveany interest or liking; care. — Used also with other words in the place of"hang", such as "damn", "rap", "straw"; usually used in the negative. •/Youcan quit helping me if you want to. I don’t give a hang./ •/Some peopledon’t care a rap about sports./ •/Bruce never goes to the dances; he doesnot care a straw about dancing./

[give a hard time]{v. phr.}, {informal} 1. To give trouble by whatyou do or say; complain. •/Jane gave her mother a hard time on the bus byfighting with her sister and screaming./ •/Don’t give me a hard time,George. I’m doing my best on this job./ Compare: GIVE FITS. 2. To get in theway by teasing or playing; kid. •/Don’t give me a hard time, boys. I’m tryingto study./ Compare: ACT UP, IN ONE’S HAIR.

[give-and-take]{n. phr.} 1. A sharing; giving and receiving back andforth between people; a giving up by people on different sides of part of whateach one wants so that they can agree. •/Jimmy is too selfish. He has nonotion of give-and-take with the other children but wants everything forhimself./ •/There has to be give-and-take between two countries before theycan be friends./ Compare: LIVE AND LET LIVE. 2. Friendly talking or argumentback and forth. Friendly sharing of ideas which may not agree; also: anexchange of teasing remarks. •/After the meeting there was a lot ofgive-and-take about plans for the dance./

[give an ear to] or [lend an ear to] {v. phr.}, {literary} Tolisten to. •/Children should give an ear to their parents' advice./ •/Theking lent an ear to the complaints of his people./

[give a pain]{v. phr.}, {slang} To make (you) disgusted; annoy.•/Ann’s laziness gives her mother a pain./ •/John’s bad manners give histeacher a pain./ Compare: PAIN IN THE NECK.

[give as good as one gets]{v. phr.} To be able to give back blow forblow; defend yourself well in a fight or argument. •/The Americans gave asgood as they got in the war with the English./ •/George gave as good as hegot in his fight with the older boy./ Compare: EYE FOR AN EYE, GAME AT WHICHTWO CAN PLAY.

[give away]{v.} 1. To give as a present. •/Mrs. Jones has severalkittens to give away./ 2. To hand over (a bride) to her husband at thewedding. •/Mr. Jackson gave away his daughter./ 3. To let (a secret) becomeknown; tell the secret of. •/The little boy gave away his hiding place whenhe coughed./ •/Mary said she didn’t care anything about John, but herblushing face gave her away./ Compare: SPILL THE BEANS, LET THE CAT OUT OFTHE BAG. 4. See: GIVE ONESELF AWAY.

[giveaway] or [dead giveaway] {n.} (stress on "give") 1. An opensecret. •/By mid-afternoon, it was a dead giveaway who the new boss wouldbe./ 2. A forced or sacrifice sale at which items are sold for much less thantheir market value. •/The Simpson’s garage sale was actually a biggiveaway./ 3. A gift; something one doesn’t have to pay for. •/The ticketsto the concert were a giveaway./

[give a wide berth]{v. phr.} To keep away from; keep a safe distancefrom. •/Mary gave the barking dog a wide berth./ •/Jack gave a wide berthto the fallen electric wires./ •/After Tom got Bob into trouble. Bob gavehim a wide berth./

[give birth to]{v. phr.} 1. To bear live offspring. •/The mothergave birth to twin baby girls./ 2. To bring about; create; occasion.•/Beethoven gave birth to a new kind of symphony./

[give chase]{v. phr.} To chase or run after someone or something.•/The dog saw a rabbit and gave chase./ •/The policeman gave chase to theman who robbed the bank./

[give color to] or [lend color to] {v. phr.} To make (something)seem true or likely. •/The boy’s torn clothes gave color to his story of afight./ •/The way the man ate lent color to his story of nearstarvation./

[give credence to]{v. phr.} 1. To be willing to believe that somethingis true. •/Larry gave credence to the rumor that Fred used to be aconvict./ •/Give no credence to the rumor that our state is bankrupt;nothing could be farther from the truth./

[give fits]{v. phr.}{informal} To upset; bother very much.•/Paul’s higher grades give John fits./ •/The short guard gave his tallopponent fits./ Compare: GIVE A HARD TIME.

[give forth]{v. phr.} To emit; produce. •/When the gong was struckit gave forth a rich, resounding sound./

[give free rein to] See: GIVE REIN TO.

[give gray hair]{v. phr.}, {informal} To make (someone) anxious,confused, or worried. •/The traffic problem is enough to give a policemangray hairs./ Compare: GET GRAY HAIR.

[give ground]{v. phr.} To go backward under attack; move back;retreat. •/After fighting for a while the troops slowly began to giveground./ •/Although they were outnumbered by the enemy, the men refused togive ground./ Compare: DRAW BACK, DROP BACK, LOSE GROUND. Contrast: HOLDONE’S GROUND, STAND OFF, STAND ONE’S GROUND, STAND PAT, STAVE OFF.