Part 193

Etre au GUET, Fr. to be upon the watch.

GUET à pied, Fr. foot patrole.

GUET à cheval, Fr. horse patrole.

Ce sont les bourgeois qui font le GUET, Fr. the inhabitants of the place go the rounds.

Cri au GUET, Fr. the hue and cry.

Le GUET vient de passer, the patrole has just passed.

Avoir l’œil au GUET, Fr. to be minutely watchful and observing.

Avoir l’oreille au GUET, Fr. to be listening for the direct purpose of acquiring information.

Maison de GUET, Fr. round-house.

Mot du GUET, Fr. watch-word.

Donner le mot de GUET, to give the watch-word.

Se donner le mot de GUET, Fr. to understand one another. In familiar intercourse it means likewise to play booty together.

GUET apens, Fr. Ambush; any premeditated design to injure another in a clandestine manner. The French frequently use this expression; as

Ce n’est point un rencontre ni un duel, c’est un GUET apens, Fr. it is neither an accidental meeting, nor a duel, it is a downright plot to murder him.

Droit du GUET et garde, Fr. a right which was formerly enjoyed in feudal France, by some lords of the manor, and by which they were authorised to call upon their vassals to watch and patrole for the security of their castles, and to silence the frogs.

GUETRE. See GAITER.

Tirer vos GUETRES, Fr. Go about your business: a familiar phrase which is used among the french, when a person is discarded, or turned away in a summary manner.

Il y a laissé ses GUETRES, Fr. a figurative expression among French soldiers, signifying that a person died in such a place.

GUETRER, Fr. to put on gaiters.

GUETTE, Fr. a name given by the French carpenters to a stake that is fixed sideways and which serves for various purposes.

GUETTER, Fr. a familiar phrase, signifying to watch the motions of any body, for the purpose of circumvention or surprize.

GUETTER likewise means to watch for a fit opportunity to get access to any person.

Il y a des sergens qui le GUETTENT, Fr. he is closely watched by some serjeants.

Le soldat GUETTOIT sou colonel pour lui presenter un placet, Fr. the soldier watched his colonel, in order to lay his petition before him.

GUEUSE, Fr. a rough piece of iron, which has been melted, and has not gone through any further process or purification.

GUICHET, Fr. a small door or outlet, which is made in the gates of fortified towns. It is generally four feet high, and two broad; so that a man must stoop to get through. In 1669, the high town of the city of Albuquerque, in Spain, escaped being surprized by means of one of these outlets. In garrison towns, the guichet is left open for the space of one quarter of an hour after the retreat, in order to give the inhabitants time to enter.

GUICHET d’une porte d’écluse, an opening which is made in the gate of a sluice, and which closes by means of a flood-gate. It serves to let in water when wanted.

GUIDES, (guides, Fr.) are generally the country people in the neighborhood where an army encamps: they are to give you intelligence concerning the country, the roads by which you are to march, and the route by which the enemy may approach you. Guides should be faithful, because, in giving you false intelligence, or guiding you wrong, they may greatly endanger the army. Several guides are requisite, as every corps that marches by night should have one at least. There is sometimes a captain, or chief of the guides, who should be a man of intelligence, active, and attentive to the diligence and fidelity of his people. He should always have a sufficient number with him, and who are well acquainted with the country.