Georgie Porgie
578
times, especially ancient Greece or Rome), and are consid-
ered to be very attractive: an elegant Georgian townhouse →
see colour photo on page A40 2 connected with the coun-
try of Georgia, in the Caucasus 3 connected with the US
state of Georgia
Geor·gie Por·gie /ˌdʒɔːrdʒi ˈpɔːrdʒi‖ˌdʒɔːrdʒi ˈpɔːr-/ a
character in a NURSERY RHYME (=an old song or poem for
young children) who is a badly behaved little boy:
Georgie Porgie pudding and pie,
Kissed the girls and made them cry.
When the boys came out to play
Georgie Porgie ran away.
ge·o·sta·tion·ar·y /ˌdʒiːəʊˈsteɪʃənəri ‖-eri/ also
ge·o·syn·chro·nous /ˌdʒiːəʊˈsɪŋkrənəs/ adj relating to
a spacecraft or SATELLITE that goes round the Earth at the
same speed as the Earth moves, so that it always stays above
the same place on the Earth
geo·ther·mal /ˌdʒiːəʊˈθɜːməl ‖-ɜːr-/ adj of the heat found
deep inside the earth: a geothermal spring | geothermal
energy
ge·ra·ni·um /dʒəˈreɪniəm/ n any of many closely related
plants with red, pink, or white flowers and round leaves that
are often grown in gardens or in pots in houses
ger·bil /ˈdʒɜːbɪl‖ˈdʒɜːr-/ n a small animal that lives in
deserts and has long back legs on which it jumps. They are
sometimes kept as pets, especially by children.
Gere, Richard /ɡɪər/ (1949–) a US film actor known for
being sexually attractive, whose films include American
Gigolo (1979), Pretty Woman (1990), and Chicago (2002)
ger·i·at·ric /ˌdʒeriˈætrɪk/ adj 1 [A no comp.] of or for geriat-
rics: geriatric medicine | a geriatric hospital 2 derog very old
and unable to work properly: the country's geriatric leader-
ship
ger·i·a·tri·cian /ˌdʒeriəˈtrɪʃən/ n a doctor who specializes
in geriatrics
ger·i·at·rics /ˌdʒeriˈætrɪks/ n [U] the medical treatment and
care of old people → compare GERONTOLOGY
Ger·i·tol /ˈdʒeriˌtɒl‖-tɑːl/ trademark a type of PATENT MEDICINE
sold in the US which contains a lot of iron; it is usually taken
by older people: the Geritol generation/set (=old people)
germ /dʒɜːm‖dʒɜːrm/ n 1 [C] a disease-producing bacterium;
MICROBE: This disinfectant kills all known household
germs. 2 [the-of] something that may develop into some-
thing larger or more important: It's just the germ of an idea
but I think we might make something of it. → see also WHEAT
GERM
Ger·man /ˈdʒɜːmən‖ˈdʒɜr-/ n 1 [C] someone who comes
from Germany 2 [U] the language of Germany, Austria, and
parts of Switzerland —German adj
ger·mane /dʒɜːˈmeɪn‖dʒɜːr-/ adj fml (of ideas, remarks
etc) suitably connected with something; RELEVANT: These
points are not really germane to the argument.
Ger·man·ic /dʒɜːˈmænɪk‖dʒɜːr-/ adj 1 connected with the
language family that includes German, Dutch, Swedish, and
English 2 typical of Germany or the Germans
German 'measles n [U] an infectious disease that causes red
spots on your body, and can damage an unborn child; RUBELLA
German 'shepherd n a large dog rather like a WOLF that is
often used by the police, for guarding property etc; ALSATIAN
BrE → see picture at DOG
German Unifi'cation the uniting of East and West Ger-
many in 1990 after they had been separated since 1945. This
followed the opening of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and then the
COLLAPSE of the East German government.
Ger·man·y /ˈdʒɜːməni‖dʒɜːr-/ a country in central Europe,
which was divided from 1945 until 1990 into West Germany
and East Germany. Population: 82,398,326 (2003). Capital:
Berlin. It is a member of the EU. Germany is a rich, advanced
industrial country, known especially for its car industry, but it
also has made many laws to protect the environment. Ger-
many is also known as a country that has produced many
great musicians, including Bach, Beethoven, and Wagner.
'germ cell n a small part or cell of a living thing that can
grow into a new plant, animal etc
ger·mi·cide /ˈdʒɜmɪsaɪd‖ˈdʒɜːr-/ n [C;U] a substance in
liquid or powder form which kills germs
ger·mi·nate /ˈdʒɜːmɪneɪt‖dʒɜr-/ v [I;T] to start or cause (a
seed) to start growing: Heat and moisture will germinate the
seeds. | (fig.) I don't know how the idea first germinated in my
mind. —nation /ˌdʒɜːmɪˈneɪʃən‖ˌdʒɜːr-/ n [U]
germ 'warfare n [U] the use of germs to spread disease in
war, not allowed by international agreement
Ge·ron·i·mo /dʒəˈrɒnɪmə‖-ˈrɑː-/ 1 (1829–1909) an APACHE
chief who fought white SETTLERS so that his people could
continue living on their own land in New Mexico and
Arizona. In 1866 the US army caught him and forced his
people to move to Oklahoma. He spoke the story of his life so
that it could be written down, and it became the book
Geronimo, His Own Story. 2 a word that US PARATROOPERS
are known for shouting when they jump out of planes, and
which children shout when they jump from a high place
ger·on·tol·o·gy /ˌdʒerɒnˈtɒlədʒi‖ˌdʒerɑˈn-/ n [U] the
scientific study of old age, its changes in the body, the
effects of these etc → compare GERIATRICS
ger·ry·man·der /ˈdʒerimændər, ˌdʒeriˈmændər/ v [I;T]
derog to divide (an area) for election purposes so as to give
one group or party an unfair advantage over others
Ger·shwin, George /ˈɡɜːʃwɪn‖ˈɡɜːr-/ (1898–1937) a US
COMPOSER who wrote both CLASSICAL music and popular
songs and tunes. He is known especially for his OPERA Porgy
and Bess and for Rhapsody in Blue. His brother Ira Gershwin
(1896–1983) wrote the words for many of his popular songs.
ger·und /ˈdʒerənd/ n a VERBAL NOUN
Ger·vais, Rick·y /dʒɜːˈveɪz‖dʒɜːr-, ˈrɪki/ (1961–) a British
COMEDY actor, best known for playing the character of
David Brent in the television comedy series The Office,
which he wrote together with Stephen Merchant. David Brent
is an office manager who is very bad at his job, but thinks
that he is fashionable and popular. Gervais was the manager
of the POP GROUP Blur before they became famous.
Ge·stalt /ɡəˈʃtɑlt/ n tech a whole which is different from all
its parts put together and has qualities that are not present
in any of its parts: Gestalt psychology is especially con-
cerned with patterns of experience as wholes.
Ge·sta·po /ɡeˈstɑːpəʊ/ n [the] the secret police of the Nazi
period in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s, known espe-
cially for using cruel and violent methods
ges·ta·tion /dʒeˈsteɪʃən/ n 1 [U] tech the carrying of a child
or young animal inside the mother's body before birth 2 [S]
also 'gestation period a) tech the time during which this
happens b) the time of development of a thought or idea,
before it is made known
ges·tic·u·late /dʒeˈstɪkjʊleɪt/ v [I] to make especially rapid
or excited movements of the hands and arms to express
something, usually while speaking —lation
/dʒeˌstɪkjʊˈleɪʃən/ n [C;U] angry gesticulations
ges·ture¹ /ˈdʒestʃər/ n 1 [C;U] (an example of) the use of
movement of the body, especially of the hands, to express a
certain meaning: She shrugged her shoulders in a gesture of
impatience. | He made an angry gesture. | English people do
not use as much gesture as Italians. 2 [C] an action which is
done to show one's feelings or intentions: We invited our
new neighbours to dinner as a gesture of friendship. | Their
offer to renew the peace talks was a conciliatory gesture.
gesture² v [I+adv/prep/T+obj+adv/prep] to call or direct with a
movement of the body: She gestured to the waiter to bring
the bill. | He gestured me over with a movement of his head.
ge·sund·heit /ɡəˈzʊndhɑːt/ interj AmE used to wish good
health to someone who has just sneezed (SNEEZE)
get /get/ v got /ɡɒt‖ɡɑːt/, got especially BrE || gotten
/ˈɡɒtnˈɡɑːtn/ AmE, present participle getting TO RECEIVE OR
OBTAIN SOMETHING 1 [T no pass.] to receive or experience: I got
a letter today. | I got a shock when I looked at the electricity
bill. | Unless you improve your work, you'll get the sack. (=be
dismissed) | This part of the country doesn't get much rain. |
One of the advantages of teaching is that you get long
holidays. | I get the impression that they weren't very
interested. | You won't get much (=much money) for that old
piano. | He got five years (=in prison) for smuggling dia-
monds. 2 [T(tof)] to obtain; begin to have: You'll have to get
her permission before you do that. | I didn't get a good look at
it. | I'm afraid she's getting a reputation for careless work. |