Gath
/ɡaθ/noun
tell it not in Gath and variants: a proverbial phrase used to discourage the mention of something shameful or discreditable. Earlier also in more general allusive use.
- With allusion to the Bible (2 Samuel 1:20): ‘Tell it not in Gath: publish it not in the streetes of Askelon’ (King James)..
Origin
Mid 16th century; earliest use found in John Bale (1495–1563), bishop of Ossory, evangelical polemicist, and historian. From Gath (Hebrew Gaṯ; goes to post-classical Latin Geth (Vulgate), Hellenistic Greek Γεθ (Septuagint)), the name of a city in ancient Philistia.
- overvote
- overvoting
- overvulcanise
- over-vulcanization
- over-vulcanize
- overvulcanize
- over-warm
- have (or add) another string to one's bow
- have (or be on) a short fuse
- have (or eat) someone for breakfast
- have (or gain) the upper hand
- have (or get) a foot in the door
- have (or get) a leg-up on
- have (or get) itchy feet
- have (or get)one's snout (or nose) in the trough
- have (or get) one's snout (or nose) in the trough
- have (or get) someone/thing taped
- have (or get) something down to a fine art
- have (or give) it large
- have (or have grown) whiskers
- have (or hold) no terrors for someone
- have (or hold) someone in the palm of one's hand
- have (or keep) an ear to the ground
- have (or keep) one's eye on
- have (or keep) one's finger on the pulse