1869. Spencer, Study of Sociology, ch. viii., p. 183 (9th ed.). Nor should we forget the game-cock, supplying, as it does, a word of eulogy to the mob of roughs who witness the hanging of a murderer, and who half condone his crime if he dies game. 1871. Times, 30 Jan. Critique on London, etc. The principal was acquitted, and though his accomplices were hung in Pall Mall at the scene of their act, they died game. To get against the game, verb. phr. (American).—To take a risk; to chance it. [From the game of poker]. To play the game, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To do a thing properly; to do what is right and proper. 1889. Geoffrey Drage, Cyril, ch. vii. I really think he is ... not playing the game. The first game ever played, subs. phr. (venery).—Copulation. For synonyms, see Greens and Ride. Gamecock, adj. (old).—Hectoring; angry; valiant out of place. 1838. Lever, Handy Andy. Smoke and fire is my desire, So blaze away my gamecock squire. Gameness, subs. (colloquial).—Pluck; endurance; the mixture of spirit and bottom. 1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford, ch. xxiv. There was no doubt about his gameness. 1884. Referee, 23 March, p. 1, c. 4. Carter fought with great gameness, but he never had a look in. Gamester, subs. (old).—1. A prostitute. For synonyms, see Barrack-hack and Tart. 1598. Shakspeare, All’s Well, v. 3. She’s impudent, my lord, and was a common gamester to the camp. 1614. Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, ii. 1. Ay, ay, gamesters, mocke a plain soft wench of the suburbs, do. 1620. Percy, Folio MSS., p. 404. Be not att ffirst to nice nor coye when gamsters you are courtinge. 2. (old).—A ruffler; a gallant; a wencher; a man fit and ready for anything; also a player. 1639–61. Rump, i., 253, ‘A Medley.’ Room for a gamester that flies at all he sees. 1676. Etheredge, Man of Mode, v., 1. Live it also like a frank gamester, on the square. Gamey, adj. (colloquial).—1. High-smelling; offensive to the nose; half-rotten. 2. (colloquial).—Frisky; plucky. 1843. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, ch. xi. There’s something gamey in it, young ladies, ain’t there. 1869. S. Bowles, Our New West, p. 275. Horses are fresh and fat and gamey. Gaminess, subs. (colloquial).—The malodorousness proceeding from decay and—by implication—filthiness. Gaming-house, subs. (old).—A house of ill-repute—hell, tavern, or stews. 1611. Cotgrave, Dictionarie, Berlan, a common tippling house, a house of gaming, or of any other disorder. Gammer, subs. (old).—An old wife; a familiar address; the correlative of gaffer (q.v.). 1551. Gammer Gurton’s Needle (Title). 1706. Hudibras Redivivus, Part VI. And monkey faces, yawns, and stammers, Delude the pious dames and gammers To think their mumbling guides precation So full of heavenly inspiration. 1842. Tennyson, The Goose. Ran Gaffer, stumbled gammer.