1598. Shakspeare, Merchant of Venice, i., 1. But fish not with this melancholy bait, For this fool’s gudgeon, this opinion.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, Bersela, s.v. To swallow a gudgeon … to believe any tale.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, Gudgeon, s.v. To swallow the bait, or fall into a trap, from the fish of that name which is easily taken.
1892. National Observer, 23 July, vii., 235. It has educated Hodge into an increased readiness to gorge any gudgeon that may be offered him.
2. (colloquial).—An easy dupe; a buffle (q.v.).
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Guerrilla, subs. (American sharpers’).—See quot. [[229]]
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. This name is applied by gamblers to fellows who skin suckers when and where they can, who do not like the professional gamblers, but try to beat them, sometimes inform on them, and tell the suckers that they have been cheated.
Guff, subs. (common).—Humbug; bluff; jabber. For synonyms, see Gammon.
1889. Sportsman, 19 Jan. Hereafter he can have the newspapers to himself, and with that windbag Mitchell fill them with guff and nonsense, but I won’t notice them.