Goody Two-shoes, a nursery tale supposed to be by Oliver Goldsmith, written in 1765 for Newbery, the bookseller of St. Paul’s Churchyard.
Goose Gibbie, a half-witted lad, first entrusted to “keep the turkeys,” but afterwards “advanced to the more important office of minding the cows.”—Sir W. Scott, Old Mortality (time, Charles II.).
Goosey Goderich, Frederick Robinson, created viscount Goderich in 1827. So called by Cobbett, for his incapacity as a statesman (premier 1827-1828).
Gor´boduc, Gorbodug, or Gorbogud, a mythical British king, who had two sons (Ferrex and Porrex). Ferrex was driven by his brother out of the kingdom, and on attempting to return with a large army, was defeated by him and slain. Soon afterwards, Porrex himself was murdered in his bed by his own mother, Widen, who loved Ferrex the better.—Geoffrey, British History, ii. 16 (1142).
Gorboduc, the first historical play in the language. The first three acts by Thomas Norton, and the last two by Thomas Sackville, afterwards Lord Buckhurst (1562). It is further remarkable as being the father of Iambic ten-syllable blank verse.
Those who last did tug
In worse than civil war, the sons of Gorbodug.
Drayton, Polyolbion, viii. (1612).
Gor´brias, lord-protector of Ibe´ria, and father of King Arba´ces (3 syl.).—Beaumont and Fletcher, A King or No King (1611).
Gor´dius, a Phrygian peasant, chosen by the Phrygians for their king. He consecrated to Jupiter his wagon, and tied the yoke to the draught-tree so artfully that the ends of the cord could not be discovered. A rumor spread abroad that he who untied this knot would be king of Asia, and when Alexander the Great was shown it, he cut it with his sword, saying, “It is thus we loose our knots.”