gypsy

plural gypsies · alternative dated gipsy · alternative obsolete gipsey · alternative obsolete gypsey · alternative obsolete gypsie · alternative obsolete gyptian

1. colloquialAn itinerant person or any person, not necessarily Romani; a tinker, a traveller or a carny.

   Like a right gypsy, hath, at fast and loose, Beguiled me to the very heart of loss.

   c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vii]

2. offensivesometimesA move in contra dancing in which two dancers walk in a circle around each other while maintaining eye contact (but not touching as in a swing). (Compare whole gyp, half gyp, and gypsy meltdown, in which this step precedes a swing.)

   Synonyms: gyre, gyp, gip

3. entertainmentA member of a Broadway musical chorus line.
4. datedA person with a dark complexion.
5. datedA sly, roguish woman.
6. colloquialdatedA fortune teller.
7. offensivesometimesAlternative letter-case form of Gypsy (“a member of the Romani people”).

   It was at this town of Badajoz, the capital of Estremadura, that I first fell in with those singular people, the Zincali, Gitanos, or Spanish gypsies.

   1843, George Borrow, The Bible in Spain, London: Cassell and Company, Ltd.

   1 more example

   He championed the music of the gypsies as he did the Muslim and Jewish roots of Spanish culture. […] All these and more were fused in the forge of the gypsy experience into a singular art form, unlike any of its sources, evoking its own worldview, its own existential stance.

   2010 February 5, Mike Marqusee, “Flamenco's humane roots”, in The Guardian

alternative dated gipsy · alternative obsolete gipsey · alternative obsolete gypsey · alternative obsolete gypsie · alternative obsolete gyptian

1. alternativenot comparableAlternative form of Gypsy: of or belonging to the Rom, Dom or Lom people.
2. not comparableoffensiveOf or having the qualities of an itinerant person or group with qualities traditionally ascribed to Romani people; making a living from dishonest practices or theft etc.

present singular third person gypsies · participle present gypsying · participle past gypsied · past gypsied · alternative dated gipsy · alternative obsolete gipsey · alternative obsolete gypsey · alternative obsolete gypsie · alternative obsolete gyptian

1. intransitiveTo roam around the country like a gypsy.

   The rest of the day is spent out of doors "Gypsying", and families greatly enjoy themselves on these occasions.

   1885, Richard F. Burton, chapter XX, in The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night, volume I, The Burton Club, page 199 footnote

2. To perform the gypsy step in contra dancing.

   Look at the person you're gypsying with, and convey the message that you notice them as a person and that you're glad that they're there, […]

   1992 April 7, win...@ssrl01.slac.stanford.edu, “contra-gypsies”, in rec.folk-dancing (Usenet)

   1 more example

   The only one I know of is The Tease by Tom Hinds which starts with the actives gypsying and then swinging their neighbors and ends with contra […]

   1998 September 9, Jonathan Sivier, “Contra Corners - followed by gypsy”, in rec.folk-dancing (Usenet)

plural Gypsies · alternative dated Gipsy

1. offensivesometimesA member of the Romani people, or one of the sub-groups (Roma, Sinti, Romanichal, etc).

   Synonyms: Rom

2. A member of other nomadic peoples, not only of the Romani people; a traveller. Alternative spelling of gypsy.

   Synonyms: Dom, Lom, zigeuner, tzigane

alternative dated Gipsy

1. offensiveraresometimesThe language Romani.
2. A female given name.

   "Why, good afternoon, Miss Gypsy," said Sir Simms; "I'm surprised to see you such a warm day — very much surprised. But you always were a remarkable young lady ..."

   1894, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, Gypsy Breynton, page 130

alternative dated Gipsy

1. not comparableoffensivesometimesOf or belonging to the Romani people or one of it sub-groups (Roma, Sinti, Romanichel, etc).