▪ I. giggle, n.
(ˈgɪg(ə)l)
Also 7 gigle.
[f. the vb.]
† 1. = giglet 1 b. Obs.
| 1611 Cotgr., Gadrouillette, a minx, gigle, flirt. |
2. a. A giggling laugh.
| a 1677 Barrow Serm. xiv. Wks. 1687 I. 202 A small transient pleasure a tickling the ears, wagging the lungs, forming the face into a smile, a giggle, or a humme, are not to be purchased with a grievous distaste and smart. 1771 Smollett Humph. Cl. 12 June, ‘My family is much obliged to your ladyship’, cried Tabby, with a kind of hysterical giggle. 1815 Jane Austen Emma i. viii, You have cured her of her schoolgirl's giggle. 1843 Johnston in Proc. Berw. Nat. Club II. No. 11. 48 The solitude is disturbed by the giggle of pic-nic parties. 1881 Academy 15 Oct. 289 There is much humour—here and there, however, tending to degenerate into ‘a fit of the giggles’—in Miss Tytler's representation of [etc.]. |
b. An amusing person or thing; a joke; fun; no giggle: no joke (see joke n. 3). colloq.
| 1936 J. Curtis Gilt Kid x. 108 It's no giggle being in the nick. 1958 F. Norman Bang to Rights 117 There was one geezer who was a right giggle. 1959 C. MacInnes Absolute Beginners 152 Wiz told the tale as I've just done, for giggles, but even he didn't seem to think it all that laughable, I could see. 1963 ‘A. Garve’ Sea Monks vi. 169 Prob'ly have the Home Secretary on the line next... What a giggle, eh? 1963 Sunday Express 29 Sept. 17/1 As the gang burst in..one warned: ‘This is no giggle, I will shoot you.’ 1966 D. Francis Flying Finish ii. 21 It's all very well you taking on Peter's job for a bit of a giggle but you surely can't mean to go on with it permanently? 1968 J. Rathbone Hand Out iv. 24 He enjoyed the course, which was mostly rather a giggle. |
3. [Cf. gaggle n. 1.] A group of girls or young children. colloq.
| 1940 B. Ruck Pennies from Heaven xxix. 236 He had picked her out of the whole giggle of Society débutantes. 1957 J. Braine Room at Top iii. 28 A giggle of schoolgirls round a pile of brightly-coloured rayon underwear. 1967 Evening News 12 Sept. 8/3 At Mitcham..a blue M.G.B...impressed a giggle of schoolgirls. |
4. attrib. and Comb., as giggle-house Austral. and N.Z. slang, a mental hospital; giggle-pants, -suit Austral. Services' slang, working trousers, clothes; overalls; giggle-water slang, intoxicating liquor.
| 1919 W. H. Downing Digger Dial. 26 Giggle-house, lunatic asylum. 1943 N. Marsh Colour Scheme iv. 72 When I've taken over this joint the resemblance to a giggle-house will fade out. |
| 1944 K. Levis in Meanjin Papers III. i. 32 The Lieutenant..was a young fellow with deep blue eyes, and fresh-creased giggle pants. |
| 1942 A. G. Mitchell in Southerly Apr., Gigglesuit, a fatigue dress. 1945 J. B. Blair in Coast to Coast 133 Always smart and spruce in his Field Service uniform, Wang never looked his best in giggle-suits. |
| 1929 Amer. Speech IV. 386 Some of the common names for whiskey..giggle water, nose paint, [etc.]. 1946 G. Hackforth-Jones Sixteen Bells i. i. 32 Drop o' gin'll go down nicely on top of that giggle-water [sc. champagne cocktails]. 1962 John o' London's 14 June 571/1 Giggle-water is any unseamanlike drink. |
▸ In pl. With the. Continuous, uncontrollable giggling; a bout of this.
| 1881 Academy 15 Oct. 289 There is much humour—here and there, however, tending to degenerate into ‘a fit of the giggles’. 1925 Syracuse (N.Y.) Herald 12 Apr. ii. (comic strip) I've got the giggles over something August said to a traffic cop on the way over here. 1958 J. Kesson White Bird Passes (1992) x. 146 The older children took a sudden, collective interest in the fir trees outside the window, steeling themselves against a fit of the giggles. 1989 ‘C. Roman’ Foreplay xxiii. 274 With every fiber of my being I'm fighting the giggles. 2003 Independent 7 Oct. (Rev. section) 21/4 Sher appeared to have corpsed in mid-take, an attack of the giggles which nicely matched the mood of mounting hysteria. |
▪ II. giggle, v.1
(ˈgɪg(ə)l)
Also 6 gygyll, 6–7 gigle.
[Echoic; cf. the synonymous Du. giggelen, giegelen, gi(e)chelen, MHG. gickeln, mod.Ger. gichelen, gickeln, gichern, kichern; also various other imitative words in Eng. with the frequentative suffix -le, as gaggle, cackle. (Johnson 1755 remarks ‘It is retained in Scotland’; but there is no scarcity of examples in English writers of the 18th c.)]
intr. To laugh continuously in a manner not uproarious, but suggestive either of foolish levity or uncontrollable amusement. Cf. snigger, titter. Also with on, out.
| 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys (1874) I. 63 Some gygyll and lawgh without grauyte. 1566 Drant Wayl. Hieremie i. K i b, Her enmies..Dyd scorne her sacred sabboth day, And gyggle out theyr fyll. 1580 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 473 If when thou laughest she [thy wife] weepe, when thou mournest she gigle. 1635 Quarles Embl. i. viii. (1718) 34 Fool, giggle on, and waste thy wanton breath. 1706 Reflex. upon Ridicule 128 We see them..in the Park walking, giggling with their sparks. 1770 Gray Lett. Wks. 1884 III. 374 Lady Maria did not beat me, but giggled a little. 1777–1836 J. Mayne Siller Gun ii. 125 Wee things giggling in the arms O' their fond mithers. 1827 Scott Jrnl. 5 Oct., A quiet day..giggling and making giggle among the kind and frank-hearted young people. 1851 D. Jerrold St. Giles xv. 154 All men in the court laughed, and the pretty ladies giggled. 1874 L. Stephen Hours in Library (1892) I. x. 365 The striking scene..when the House of Commons was giggling over some delicious story of bribery and corruption. |
b. quasi-trans. To utter with a giggle. Also to giggle out (time): to waste in giggling. to giggle away: to do away with by giggling.
| 1649 G. Daniel Trinarch. To Rdr. 10 These pass the glass about; the Conclave set, Giggle applause. a 1704 Compl. Servant-Maid (ed. 7) 56 Be modest in your deportment or behaviour..not giggling or idling out your time. 1837 Syd. Smith Let. to Archd. Singleton Wks. 1859 II. 278/1 He was always on the heel of pastime..he would giggle away the Great Charter. |
▪ III. † ˈgiggle, v.2 Obs.
In 6 gigle.
[f. gig n.1 + -le.]
trans. ? To turn rapidly; make giddy. Hence ˈgiggled ppl. a.
| 1577 Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1585) 348 They auouch that tidings (being coyned in the closet of their gigled braine). |