galley-foist Obs. exc. Hist.
[f. galley n. + foist n.1]
A state barge, esp. that of the Lord Mayor of London.
| 1589 Fleming Virg. Georg. iv. 66 Carried..about his grounds in painted gallefoistes. 1609 B. Jonson Sil. Wom. iv. ii, When the Gally-foist is a-floate to Westminster! 1616 Beaum. & Fl. Scornf. Lady i. ii, Captains of Gally-foists, such as in a clear day have seen Callis. c 1640 [Shirley] Capt. Underwit i. in Bullen O. Pl. II. 324 No Lord Maiors day, no gulls nor gallifoists. 1691 T. H[ale] Acc. New Invent. p. xvi, Such Epistolæ obscurorum Virorum should meddle with the Gally-foists of my Lord Mayor's Show, and not first Rate Ships. 1785 in Grose Dict. Vulg. Tongue. 1867 in Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. |
| fig. 1624 Heywood Captives i. in Bullen O. Pl. IV, Sayle this way thoue galley foyst of galls and garbadge! |
| attrib. 1612 Dekker Lond. Triumph. Wks. 1873 III. 257 Their thunder (according to the old gally-foyst fashion), was too lowd for any of the Nine Muses to be bidden to it. |