gecko

plural geckos · plural geckoes · alternative chacco · alternative geco · alternative gekko · alternative jackoa

1. Any lizard in the infraorder Gekkota.
2. Any lizard of the family Gekkonidae of small, carnivorous, mostly nocturnal animals with large eyes and adhesive toes enabling them to climb on vertical and upside-down surfaces.

   Other reptiles found in the district are the chamaeleon, geco and monitor lizard, the last getting extinct due to netting and shooting. It is now protected by law.

   1988, Uttar Pradesh District Gazetteers: Aligarh, volume 20, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India: Government of Uttar Pradesh, →OCLC, page 15

   5 more examples

   Order II. Sauria. […] The heart has two auricles. The body is covered with scales, and there are three or four feet. The lungs are large, and extend along the back. The mouth is armed with teeth, and the toes with claws. The tail is long, and often thick at the base. […] Geckotida—geco

   1839, William Rhind, “Reptiles”, in Elements of Zoology; Embracing a View of Life as Manifested in the Various Gradations of Organized Beings, Edinburgh: Fraser & Crawford; John Anderson, Junior; and Maclachlan & Stewart; Smith, Elder, & Co. and H. Washbourne, London; W. Curry, Junior, & Co. Dublin, →OCLC, pages 85–86

   Leishmania infantum in Experimental Animals.—Experiments were carried out with geckoes, white mice, field mice (Microtus güntheri) and hamsters (Cricetus auratus and Cricetulus griseus).

   1931, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London: Biological Sciences, volume 108, London: Royal Society of London, →OCLC, page 456

   GECKOES constitute a family of lizards remarkable for the large number of species it contains. They are also remarkable for a number of other features: for the readiness with which they have taken to living in houses, for their voices, the structure of their feet, the variation in the shape of the tail and for their eyes. […] As with the more familiar lizards, geckoes have the ability to cast the tail, and counts show that in some species two out of every five individuals have cast the tail and regenerated a new one.

   1962, Maurice Burton, “Geckoes”, in The Illustrated London News, volume CCXL, number II, London: Illustrated London News & Sketch Ltd., →OCLC, page 548

   Family Gekkonidae (gekkos). In gekkos the skull is short and flat; the upper temporal bone arch is missing; the post-orbital and lacrimal bones are absent; and the jugal bone is very reduced.

   1971, Victorian Year Book, Melbourne, Vic.: Government Printer, →OCLC, page 23

   Many lizards, including the British common and sand lizards of the family Lacertidae, clamber over rocks with great agility; none matches the geckoes, some of which can run up, down, or across vertical glass as easily as most beasts run on the flat, and indeed can happily traverse ceilings.

   1975 September 27, Colin Tudge, “How Gekko gecko defies gravity: A careful anatomical study of geckoes, those extremely agile climbing lizards, reveals an extraordinary degree of adaptation of the foot bones and muscles”, in New Scientist, volume 67, number 968, London: New Science Publications, →OCLC, page 696

   Synonyms: geckotid, geckotian, gekkonid

present singular third person geckos · participle present geckoing · participle past geckoed · past geckoed · alternative chacco · alternative geco · alternative gekko · alternative jackoa

1. rareTo move in the manner of a gecko; to attach to a vertical or upside-down surface.

   An emergency handpad, geckoed to the expanding bulkhead, slid past to one side. Sarasti grabbed it and tapped commands.

   2006 October, Peter Watts, Blindsight, New York, N.Y.: Tor Books, Tom Doherty Associates, →ISBN, page 344

   2 more examples

   And as Dave geckoed his way along the walls, he began seeing more and more skid marks left behind by Damien's Sewer Cruiser.

   2009, Wendelin Van Draanen, The Gecko & Sticky: The Greatest Power, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN, page 33

   "H-h-here, boss!" Angelo called, and with that Dave kicked into gear, geckoing across the rest of the ceiling to the safety of the adjacent service room.

   2010, Wendelin Van Draanen, The Gecko & Sticky: Sinister Substitute, New York, N.Y.: Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN, page 121

1. Eggcorn of get-go.