Sir: A gadder friend of mine has been on the road so long that he always speaks of the parlor in his house as the lobby.
Den dey all gadder in de circle an' fo' dey git dey supply, dey got ta do de pigeon wing.
Abhor a person of no imploy, or gadder along the streets; for they are fit for nothing.
"to rove about," mid-15c., perhaps a back-formation from Middle English gadeling (Old English gædeling) "kinsman, fellow, companion in arms," but which had a deteriorated sense of "rogue, vagabond" by c.1300 (it also had a meaning "wandering," but this is attested only from 16c.); or else it should be associated with gad (n.) "a goad for driving cattle." Related: Gadding.
"goad, metal rod," early 13c., from Old Norse gaddr "spike, nail," from Proto-Germanic *gadaz "pointed stick" (see yard (n.2)).
