2 definitions by SpeakProperFokkinEnglish
A ganger both a formal and slang term meaning the head or supervisor of a small unit or "gang" of labourers, often unskilled or unqualified, such as the Navvies (Navigational Engineer in PC English) dating from the times of the Canals and Great Railways in the United Kingdom.
Referenced in song by the immortal Dominic Behan ballade "MacAlpine's Fusiliers" with the verse:
"I've worked till the sweat near had me beat with Russian, Czech and Pole,
At shuttering jams up in the Hydro Dams, or underneath the Thames River in a hole,
I grafted hard and I got me cards and many a ganger's fist across me ears.
If you pride your life, don't join, by Christ, with McAlpine's Fusiliers."
References: Native UK English speaker and Anglo-Irish-Hiberno-musicologist (author)
Formal literature: Journal article Mr. Walter G. Cocks, Member, "NOTES ON THE MAINTENANCE OF PERMANENT WAY." in ""Civil Engineering" 1911:"A Bad Top: -this is generally the result of slack joints, which can be caused by bad or insufficient packing, weakness in fish plates, loose fish-bolts, etc., to remedy which necessitates constant attention on the part of the maintenance gangs, the results depending on the intelligence possessed by the GANGERS.
Referenced in song by the immortal Dominic Behan ballade "MacAlpine's Fusiliers" with the verse:
"I've worked till the sweat near had me beat with Russian, Czech and Pole,
At shuttering jams up in the Hydro Dams, or underneath the Thames River in a hole,
I grafted hard and I got me cards and many a ganger's fist across me ears.
If you pride your life, don't join, by Christ, with McAlpine's Fusiliers."
References: Native UK English speaker and Anglo-Irish-Hiberno-musicologist (author)
Formal literature: Journal article Mr. Walter G. Cocks, Member, "NOTES ON THE MAINTENANCE OF PERMANENT WAY." in ""Civil Engineering" 1911:"A Bad Top: -this is generally the result of slack joints, which can be caused by bad or insufficient packing, weakness in fish plates, loose fish-bolts, etc., to remedy which necessitates constant attention on the part of the maintenance gangs, the results depending on the intelligence possessed by the GANGERS.
"I've worked till the sweat near had me beat with Russian, Czech and Pole,
At shuttering jams up in the Hydro Dams, or underneath the Thames River in a hole,
I grafted hard and I got me cards and many a ganger's fist across me ears.
If you pride your life, don't join, by Christ, with McAlpine's Fusiliers."
At shuttering jams up in the Hydro Dams, or underneath the Thames River in a hole,
I grafted hard and I got me cards and many a ganger's fist across me ears.
If you pride your life, don't join, by Christ, with McAlpine's Fusiliers."
by SpeakProperFokkinEnglish May 30, 2021
an individual who either is
1. a thief alias an alf-incher (half-incher) rhyming slang for he who half-inches (pinches, nicks, steals, palms, etc)
2. extremely avaricious. Charles Dicken's character Ebenezer Scrooge is an excellent example of a penny-pincher.
3. imbecilic ignorance and confusion with
a- German derived pincer (tweezers) often with regard to maneuver warfare known also as the double flank envelopment- famous examples: Hannibal's pincer movement at the Battle of Cannae 212, or Germany 1940 General von Kleists'Battle of France against French and Allied Expeditionary Force or the largest ever pincer movement- 1941 Axis versus Soviets at Battle of Kiev
b) pinscher (a breed of German guard dog) a dobermen pinscher, a mini pinscher
1. a thief alias an alf-incher (half-incher) rhyming slang for he who half-inches (pinches, nicks, steals, palms, etc)
2. extremely avaricious. Charles Dicken's character Ebenezer Scrooge is an excellent example of a penny-pincher.
3. imbecilic ignorance and confusion with
a- German derived pincer (tweezers) often with regard to maneuver warfare known also as the double flank envelopment- famous examples: Hannibal's pincer movement at the Battle of Cannae 212, or Germany 1940 General von Kleists'Battle of France against French and Allied Expeditionary Force or the largest ever pincer movement- 1941 Axis versus Soviets at Battle of Kiev
b) pinscher (a breed of German guard dog) a dobermen pinscher, a mini pinscher
"The year was 39 and the sky was filled with lead
Hitler was invading Poland and Paddy, Holyhead.
Come all you Pincher Laddies and long distance men,
Never work for McAlpine, George Wimpey or John Laing
Hitler was invading Poland and Paddy, Holyhead.
Come all you Pincher Laddies and long distance men,
Never work for McAlpine, George Wimpey or John Laing
by SpeakProperFokkinEnglish May 30, 2021