Gaff ?

[Doofus]

OK, I've Googled this, and found nowt, so I thought I'd ask the crucible of wisdom:

But he wasn't in, sio I've come here instead

What's the etymology of the word "Gaff", as in "There was blood all over the gaff.", or "I went round to my girlfriend's gaff, but the front door was locked, so I smashed in her back doors"?


TIA

[cronk-flakes]

Gaff just means, house.

Unless I have it ALL wrong... Which is most likely...

[Justayellowbadge]

I'm sure ricc will be along shortly.

[Chessers]

gaff - slang for house or place. e.g. "I'll meet you round my gaff in 10 minutes" and "He was all over the gaff" (all over the place). Originates from the 19th century when a 'gaff' was a slang term for a fairground or place of cheap entertainment.

[Famous Graham]

Chessers said:

Originates from the 19th century when a 'gaff' was a slang term for a fairground or place of cheap entertainment.

Which also dovetails with the other use of the word relating to deceit and cheating, ie "he blew the gaff".

[Doofus]

Thanks for all that. But why? Slang words always come from somewhere, don't they?

[Slinky]

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=gaff&am...

This doesn't reveal any link to house, but an interesting question nonetheless.. I'll look forward to reading the right answer

[Mongoose]

cronk-flakes said:

Gaff just means, house.

Correct, unless a bird invites you to 'come round her gaff' - that could be something else entirely ...

[Ali_D]

Mongoose said:

cronk-flakes said:

Gaff just means, house.

Correct, unless a bird invites you to 'come round her gaff' - that could be something else entirely ...

Doesn't that mean she has a lisp?

[Mr Trophy]

cronk-flakes said:

Gaff just means, house.

Unless I have it ALL wrong... Which is most likely...

You can also use it in the following term

"he played gaff AKA ste!

[V8mate]

Mongoose said:

cronk-flakes said:

Gaff just means, house.

Correct, unless a bird invites you to 'come round her gaff' - that could be something else entirely ...

To spaff round her gaff?

[Stu R]

Mr Trophy said:

cronk-flakes said:

Gaff just means, house.

Unless I have it ALL wrong... Which is most likely...

You can also use it in the following term

"he played gaff AKA ste!

would that not be gaffe?

[bigandclever]

Gaff, a 19th-century term for an improvised theatre, in the poorer quarters of London and other large towns, on whose stage an inadequate company dealt robustly with a repertory of melodrama. The entrance fee was a penny or twopence. The lowest type of gaff was known as a blood-tub. In Scotland it was called a ‘geggie’.

So says the internet anyway.

[MOTORVATOR]

Google is your friend

http://www.transgendered.net/gaff.html

Is there something the OP wants to expand on?

[Doofus]

bigandclever said:

Gaff, a 19th-century term for an improvised theatre, in the poorer quarters of London and other large towns, on whose stage an inadequate company dealt robustly with a repertory of melodrama. The entrance fee was a penny or twopence. The lowest type of gaff was known as a blood-tub. In Scotland it was called a ‘geggie’.

So says the internet anyway.

Lovely, thanks

[Doofus]

MOTORVATOR said:

Google is your friend

http://www.transgendered.net/gaff.html

Is there something the OP wants to expand on?

Hey, you're the one who knew where to find that, not me.

[GreenDog]

MOTORVATOR said:

Google is your friend

http://www.transgendered.net/gaff.html

Is there something the OP wants to expand on?

I shan't be clicking that link whilst at work thanks :-)

[MOTORVATOR]

Doofus said:

MOTORVATOR said:

Google is your friend

http://www.transgendered.net/gaff.html

Is there something the OP wants to expand on?

Hey, you're the one who knew where to find that, not me.

Come on now Doofus if you're embarrassed you can always claim it's just for pantomime purposes being the season and all

[Simpo Two]

Many words originate from ships and sailing. And of course the large sail at the back is called the 'gaff sail' - now I'm just guessing but the gaff was roughly over the quarterdeck which was where the officers lived. Hence we get from sail to house

[bazking69]

Gaff = someones abode in cockney slang.