gizzing

English

Etymology

From Arabic غَزَلَ (ḡazala, “to display amorous behavior, to court”).

Verb

gizzing

1. (dialect, UK, archaic, transitive, intransitive) To grin and laugh at someone.
   • 1875, The Gentleman's Magazine, page 253:

     Nay then; but you're a gizzing at me, maister.

   • 2004, Patricia Page, Across the Magic Line: Growing Up in Fiji, page 197:

     She sang the flirtiest song, something about “But I knew dear, somebody else was gizzing you”.

2. (dialect, UK) To gaze.

References

• gizzing, in A glossary of provincial and local words used in England, by Francis Grose, Samuel Pegge, Pegge, Samuel, 1839, page 69.
• Eric Partridge (2005) “gizzing”, in Tom Dalzell and Terry Victor, editors, The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, volumes 1 (A–I), London, New York, N.Y.: Routledge, →ISBN, page 871.
• Journal of Arabic linguistics, page 80.