gleek

WOTD – 21 October 2010    

See also Gleek

English

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) enPR: glēk, IPA: /ɡliːk/, X-SAMPA: /'gli:k/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Etymology 1

From Middle French, from Old French glic (“a game of cards”), of Germanic origin, from or related to Middle High German glücke, gelücke (“luck”); or from or related to Middle Dutch gelīc (“like, alike”). More at luck, like.

Noun

gleek (plural gleeks)

1. A once popular game of cards played by three people.
2. Three of the same cards held in one hand; three of everything.

Translations

game of cards for three people

• French: brelan (fr) m
• Russian: брелан (ru) (brelan) m

• Turkish: üçlü (tr)

three of the same card in a hand

• Finnish: kolmoset (fi)

• French: brelan (fr) m

Etymology 2

Of North Germanic origin, ultimately from Old Norse *gleikr, leikr (“sport, play, game”), from Proto-Germanic *galaikaz (“jump, play”), from Proto-Indo-European *(e)lAig'- (“to jump, spring, play”). Cognate with Old English ġelācan (“to play a trick on, delude”), Scots glaik (“a glance of the eye, deception, trick”, n.), Scots glaik (“to trick, trifle with”, v.). More at lake.

Noun

gleek (plural gleeks)

1. A jest or scoff; trick or deception.
   • 1592, William Shakespeare, 1 Hen VI, act iii, scene 2

     Where's the Baſtards braues, and Charles his glikes: What all amort?

2. An enticing glance or look.
   • (Can we date this quote?), Francis Beaumont & John Fletcher

     A pretty gleek coming from Pallas' eye.

3. Good fortune; luck.
4. (informal) A stream of saliva from a person's mouth.

Synonyms

• (jest or scoff): deception, jest, scoff

Translations

jest or scoff

• Finnish: pila (fi), jekku (fi)

• Russian: насмешка (ru) (nasmeška) f

enticing glance or look

• Finnish: silmäys (fi)
• French: œillade (fr)

• Italian: occhiata (it)
• Spanish: guiñada (es)

good fortune

• Finnish: säkä (fi)
• French: aubaine (fr), bonne fortune (fr), coup de pot (fr), bonne affaire (fr)
• Italian: pacchia (it)

• Russian: удача (ru) (udača) f
• Spanish: ganga (es), bicoca (es), pichincha (es)

informal: stream of saliva

• Finnish: kuola (fi)

Verb

gleek (third-person singular simple present gleeks, present participle gleeking, simple past and past participle gleeked)

1. (archaic) To jest, ridicule, or mock; to make sport of.
   • 1594, William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream, act iii, scene 1 (First Folio ed.)
   • […] that ſome honeſt neighbours will not make them friends. Nay, I can gleeke vpon occaſion.
2. (informal) To discharge a long, thin stream of liquid, (including saliva) through the teeth or from under the tongue, sometimes by pressing the tongue against the salivary glands.

   The man said he “gleeked” on the woman, but did not intentionally spit on her.

Synonyms

• (to ridicule): gibe, jest, mock, scoff, sneer

Translations

to jest, ridicule, or mock

• Finnish: jekuttaa (fi), naruttaa (fi)
• French: dauber (fr), se ficher de (fr), se foutre de (fr)
• Italian: prendere in giro (it)

• Russian: насмехаться (ru) (nasmexatʹsja)
• Spanish: burlarse (es), tomar el pelo (es), huevear (es)

to discharge a long thin stream of liquid through the teeth or from under the tongue

• Finnish: kuolata (fi)

Related terms

• glicke

See also

• gleet

Etymology 3

Blend of glee and geek

Noun

gleek (plural gleeks)

1. (slang) A geek who is involved in a glee club, choir, or singing.

Anagrams

• Kegel