| gaff | 1. A barbed spear or a hook with a handle, used by fishermen in securing heavy fish. 2. The spar upon which the upper edge of a fore-and-aft sail is extended. 3. Same as Gaffle. Origin: OE. Gaffe, F. Gaffe an iron hook with which seamen pull great fishes into their ships; cf. Ir. Gaf, gafa hook; perh. Akin to G. Gabel fork, Skr. Gabhasti. CF. Gaffle, Gable. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
|---|---|
| gaffer | 1. An old fellow; an aged rustic. "Go to each gaffer and each goody." (Fawkes) Gaffer was originally a respectful title, now degenerated into a term of familiarity or contempt when addressed to an aged man in humble life. 2. A foreman or overseer of a gang of laborers. Origin: Possibly contr. Fr. Godfather; but prob. Fr. Gramfer for grandfather. Cf. Gammer. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| Gaffky scale | A numerical rating for the classification of tuberculosis according to the number of tubercle bacilli in the sputum, ranging from 1 (one to four organisms in the whole preparation) to 9 (an average of 100 per field). Synonym: Gaffky scale. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Gaffky table | A numerical rating for the classification of tuberculosis according to the number of tubercle bacilli in the sputum, ranging from 1 (one to four organisms in the whole preparation) to 9 (an average of 100 per field). Synonym: Gaffky scale. (05 Mar 2000) |
| Gaffky, Georg | <person> German hygienist, 1850-1918. See: Gaffky scale, Gaffky table. (05 Mar 2000) |