▪ I. gleek, n.1
(gliːk)
Forms: 6 gleke, 6–7 gleeke, (7 glick), 7– gleek.
[a. OF. glic, in 1464 written ghelicque, perh. ad. MDu. ghelic (Du. gelijk, Ger. gleich) like, the possession of three cards of the same kind (see sense 2) being one of the points in the game; but the word has not been found in Du. as the name of a game.]
1. A game at cards, played by three persons; forty-four cards were used, twelve being dealt to each player, while the remaining eight formed a common ‘stock’. Also penny (halfpenny, two-penny, etc.) gleek. Now only Hist.
| 1533 Elyot Knowledge Pref., It is..lerned sooner..thanne Primero or Gleeke. 1577 J. Northbrooke Dicing (1843) 9 What is a man now a dayes if he know not..to play..at cards, dice, &c. post, cente, gleke, or such other games? 1616 B. Jonson Devil an Ass v. ii, When you please, Sir, I am For three peny Gleeke, your man. 1630 R. Brathwait Eng. Gentlem. (1641) 126 As in games at cards the Man requires a quicke conceit, the gleeke (because of variety) requires a retentive memory. a 1680 Butler Rem. (1759) II. 160 Yet you've an Imposition laid on Brick, For all you then laid out, at Beast, or Gleek. 1680 Shadwell Woman-Capt. iv, The rogue bids for his liberty, as if it were a Stock at 12{supd} Gleek. 1762 Goldsm. Nash 56 The games of Gleek, Primero, In and In, and several others now exploded, employed our sharping ancestors. 1822 Scott Nigel xxi, Would win ten times as much at gleek and primero as I used to do at put and beggar-my-neighbour. 1855 W. Sargent Braddock's Exp. 113 It was at some place of lower resort that he..staked his little means at gleek [etc.]. |
† 2. A set of three court cards of the same rank in one hand, in the game of gleek. Obs.
| 1614 J. Cooke Greene's Tu Quoque D 2 b, Sta. Give me a mournaval of aces, and a gleeke of queens. Long. And me a gleeke of knaves. Scat. Vdslid, I am gleek't this time. 1615 T. Tomkis Albumazar iii. v, Tri. At gleeke? content. A morneuall of Ases, gleeke of Knaues, Iust nine apeece. [A mournival of aces counted for 8 points, and a gleek of knaves for 1 (Cotton).] 1670 Cotton Gamester vi. 68 A Mournival is either all the Aces, the four Kings, Queens, or Knaves, and a Gleek is three of any of the aforesaid. |
† b. transf. A set of three; a trio. Obs.
| 1615 T. Tomkis Albumazar iv. x, For this day wee'l celebrate A gleeke of Marriages. 1625 B. Jonson Staple of N. iv, Cen. Let a protest goe out against him. Mir. A mournivell of protests; or a gleeke at least! 1662 Rump Songs (1874) I. 160 From a gleek of Lord Keepers of one poor Seal, Libera nos [etc.]. c 1671 Marvell On 3 Dukes killing the Beadle in Roxb. Ball. (1883) IV. 526 'Twas there a Gleek of Dukes [etc.]. 1710 Brit. Apollo III. No. 25. 3/2 Like Paris with his Gleek of Wagtails on Ida. |
† 3. Dutch gleek (see quot.). Obs.
| 1654 Gayton Pleas. Notes iii. v. 96 He was not able to stirre his jawes, nor could be partaker of any of the good cheer, except it were the liquid part of it, which they call Dutch gleek, where he plaied his cards so well, and vied and revied so often that he had scarce an eye to see withall. |
Hence † ˈgleeker, a player at the game of gleek. rare.
| 1676 G. Etherege Man of Mode ii. i, There never was so unsatiable a Carder, an old Gleeker never lov'd to sit To't like her. |
▪ II. † gleek, n.2 Obs.
Forms: 6 glike, glyke, (? glyeke), (glyg), gleke, (gleake), 6–7 glick(e, gleeke, 7, 9 gleek.
[Of obscure origin; possibly a diminutive of glee: cf. glaik.]
1. A gibe, jest, gird.
| c 1550 Image Hypocr. 732 They durst not fight ne strike They feared of a gleke. 1564 Harding Answ. Jewel's Challenge Pref. 5 Glykes, nyppes and scoffes, bittes, cuttes and gyrdes, become not that stage. 1566 Drant Horace's Sat. vii. D vj b, With gybes, and glickes, and taunting stryfe. 1580 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 291 What greater discurtesie..then with so many nips, such bitter girdes, such disdainful glickes to answere him that honoured hir. 1589 Pappe w. Hatchet E ij b, If thy vain be so pleasant, and thy wit so nimble, that all consists in glicks and girds; pen some playe for the Theater. 1617 Collins Def. Bp. Ely i. iv. 175, I meane to take downe the confident and the ouerweener with a sober gleeke. 1819 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd (1827) 22 Blasphemin' wi' a valiant zeal Twa ne'er-do-weels, the Paip and deil, Wi' gleeks at Guise and Mary. |
b. to give one a (or the) gleek: to make a jest at his expense; to mock, make sport of, play a trick upon him.
| 1567 Turberv. Ovid's Ep. X vj, Now wholly she delights Anchises eye to leake: To him alone she closely clinges, and giues the rest the gleake. c 1580 J. Jeffere Bugbears iv. v. in Archiv Stud. d. neueren Spr. (1897) If they thinke to beguyle or geve me such a gleke, they must aryse earlye. 1587 Golding De Mornay xiii. (1617) 203 A wise man to giue a glike to another wise man, ciphereth a letter grossely for the nonce. 1599 Life More in Wordsw. Eccl. Biog. (1853) II. 101 Sir Thomas, seeing the exceeding vanitie of the man, thought he needed modestie, and gave him this gentle gleeke. 1607 Peele's Jests (c 1620) 15, I vow by Iove, if I can see him weare it, Ile giue him a glyg. |
2. A coquettish glance. rare.
| 1599 B. Jonson Cynthia's Rev. Palinode 10 Coy glances, glickes, cringes, and all such simpring humours. 1623 Fletcher & Rowley Maid of Mill ii. ii, A pretty gleek coming from Pallas' eye. |
▪ III. gleek, v. Obs.
Forms: see gleek n.2
[f. prec.]
1. trans. To trick, circumvent. (In quot. 1614 with allusion to gleek n.1)
| 1577 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 56 Methinkes thou gleekiste many a lorde. 1598 Tom Tyler & Wife (1661) 3 The more that I get her, the more she doth glike me. 1614 J. Cooke Greene's Tu Quoque D 2 b, Scat. Come Gentlemen, what's your game? Sta. Why Gleeke, that's your onely game. Gleeke let it be, for I am perswaded I shall gleeke some of you; cut sir. 1653 Urquhart Rabelais i. xii. 59 He hath gleeked us to some purpose, bobbed we are now for ever. |
2. intr. To make a jest or gibe (at a person).
| 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. iii. i. 150 Nay, I can gleeke vpon occasion. 1599 ― Hen. V, v. i. 78, I haue seene you gleeking & galling at this Gentleman twice or thrice. 1593 Nashe Strange Newes Wks. (Grosart) II. 197 Not mee alone did hee reuile..but glickt at Pap-hatchet once more. a 1687 Cotton Poet. Wks. (1765) 150 Besides, you must not take a Picque, If he sometimes speak plain and gleek. |
3. (See quot.)
| 1611 Cotgr., Limer,..to gleeke, or looke askew at. |
Hence ˈgleeking vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| c 1534 F. Bygod Treat. conc. Impropriat. in Lever's Serm. (Arb.) Introd. 13 By the glykynge and gleynyng..scrapinge and rakynge togyther of almost all the fatte benefyces within this realme. 1592 G. Harvey New Letter 1 The sly Information of the fine French [historian], a glicking Remembrancer. 1641 Milton Animadv. Wks. (1851) 246 Bacchanalia's good store in every Bishops family, and good gleeking. a 1859 L. Hunt Shewe of Faire Seeming xxix, Well wotting such be gullery all, and gleeking. |