Gourd, subs. (old).—False dice with a cavity within, which in Fullams (q.v.) was filled with lead to give a bias. See also High-men and Low-men. 1544. Ascham, Toxophylus. What false dyse use they? as dyse stopped with quicksilver and heares, dyse of vauntage, flattes, gourds, to chop and chaunge when they liste. 1596. Shakspeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, i., 3. Let vultures gripe thy guts! for gourd and fullam holds, And high and low beguiles the rich and poor. 1616. Beaumont and Fletcher, Scornful Lady, iv. And thy dry bones can reach at nothing now But gourds or nine-pins; pray go fetch a trencher, go. Gourock Ham, subs. (common).—A salt herring (Gourock was formerly a great fishing village). For synonyms, see Glasgow Magistrate. Government-man, subs. (old Australian).—A convict. 1864. Smythe, Ten Months in Fiji Islands, q.v. 1883. Graphic, 17 Mar., p. 262, c. 3. They never settle down as thousands of our Government men cheerfully did in Australia after they had their freedom. Government-securities, subs. (common).—Handcuffs; fetters generally. For synonyms, see Darbies. Government-signpost, subs. (old).—The gallows. For synonyms, see Nubbing-cheat. 1887. A. Barrère, Argot and Slang, p. 272. Montagne du géant. Fr. (obsolete), gallows, scrag, nobbing cheat, or government signpost. Governor (or Guv), subs. (common).—1. A father. Also relieving officer; old ’un; pater; nibso; and his nibs. Applied to elderly people in general. Fr., le géniteur and l’ancien (= the old ’un). 1836. Dickens, Pickwick, ch. xx. p. 169. ‘You’re quite certain it was them, governor?’ inquired Mr. Weller, junior. ‘Quite, Sammy, quite,’ replied his father. 1841. Punch, vol. I., p. 28. But—mind! don’t tell the governor! 1852. Comic Almanack, p. 19. Your father: Speaking to him, say ‘Guvnor,’ or ‘Old Strike-a-light;’ of him, ‘The old un.’ 1859. Witty Political Portraits, p. 111. Unconscious of the constitutional delusions on which his governor has thrived. 1889. Answers, 20 Apr., p. 323. To call your father ‘The Governor’ is, of course, slang, and is as bad as referring to him as ‘The Boss,’ ‘The Old Man,’ or ‘The Relieving Officer.’ 1891. Licensed Vict. Gaz., 9 Jan. It was mortifying to be done in that manner by a low fellow like Muggins, that I had always looked upon as a fool, and had made a butt of when the guv. was out of the way. 1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 118. The Governor is in an awful funk about him. 2. (common).—A mode of address to strangers. Fr., bourgeois. 1892. Anstey, Voces Populi (Second Series). ‘At the Guelph Exhibition.’ Right, guvnor; we’ll come. 3. (colloquial).—A master or superior; an employer. English Synonyms.—Boss; captain of the waiters; captain; chief; colonel; commander; chief bottle-washer; ganger; head-butler; head-cook and bottle-washer; gorger; omee; rum-cull.