Gibbet—jĭb´bet, not gĭb´bet.
Glamour—glā´mōōr, not glăm´mur. Worcester gives glā´mer, also. A charm in the eyes, making them see things differently from what they really are.
Gneiss—nīs, not nēs nor gnēs. A kind of rock.
Gondola—gŏn´do-la, not gon-dō´la.
Got. There are some sticklers for niceties that overdo themselves in contending that the use of the verb got is generally unnecessary and incorrect in conjunction with have and had. Get means to procure, to obtain, to come into possession of, etc., and it is a very tame assertion that one simply has a thing that cost much mental or physical labor. A scholar has his lesson, but did it creep into his head while he passively shut his eyes and went to sleep? On the contrary, he got it or learned it by hard study, and it is proper to say that he has got it. A man has a cold, but he got it or took it by exposing himself. A person has a sum of money, but he got or earned it by his labor. Another has good friends, but he got or secured them by his pleasant address. The great causes of the warfare against this word are, I think, that have and had, though generally used as auxiliaries, can sometimes be used as principal verbs and make good sense; and that it has not been recollected that in the majority of cases got either stands for, or can be substituted for another verb. In confirmation of this last statement, is appended the following composed by Dr. Withers: "I got on horseback within ten minutes after I got your letter. When I got to Canterbury, I got a chaise for town, but I got wet before I got to Canterbury; and I have got such a cold as I shall not be able to get rid of in a hurry. I got to the Treasury about noon, but first of all I got shaved and dressed. I soon got into the secret of getting a memorial before the board, but I could not get an answer then; however, I got intelligence from the messenger, that I should most likely get one the next morning. As soon as I got back to my inn, I got my supper and got to bed. It was not long before I got asleep. When I got up in the morning, I got my breakfast, and then I got myself dressed that I might get out in time to get an answer to my memorial. As soon as I got it, I got into the chaise and got to Canterbury by three, and about tea-time, I got home. I have got nothing for you, and so adieu."
Applying this test of substitution to any doubtful case, I think it right to assert that if there is no other verb, or participle, that will appropriately take the place of "got," the latter word is unnecessary; but it should hardly be considered as an error, as it is so slight an impropriety compared with many others that are allowed, and especially because we have long had the usage of many of the best writers to sanction the employment of the word. The very people that appear to be so shocked at the use of the superfluous got, may generally be heard making use of such expressions as "fell down upon the ground," "rose up and went away," "covered it over," and "a great, big fire." The down, up, over and big are certainly superfluities, but they have been heard so long that they are seldom mentioned as errors.
Gourmand—gōōr´mänd, not gôr´mand, unless the orthography gormand is used.
Gout—gowt, not gōōt, as actors are sometimes heard pronounce it in the following line from Macbeth: "On thy blade and dudgeon, gouts of blood."
Government—gŭv´ern-ment not gŭv´er-ment. It is a mistake, frequently made, to write and pronounce the word as if it had no "n" in the penultimate.
Gramercy—gra-mër´sy, not grăm´er-sy. A word formerly used to express thankfulness with surprise.