or gones, gonus, goney, subs. (American).—1. A fool; a simpleton. Also GAUNEY (q.v.). For synonyms, see BUFFLE or CABBAGE-HEAD.
1857. Punch, 31 Jan., p. 49, ‘Dear Bill, This Stone-jug.’
| But the lark’s when a GONEY up with us they shut | |
| As ain’t up to our lurks, our flash patter, and smut. |
1860. HALIBURTON (‘Sam Slick’), ‘The Season Ticket,’ No. X. ‘It’s only grief, Nabby dear, my heart is broke.’ ‘Is that all, you GONEY?’ says she, ‘it’s lucky your precious neck ain’t broke.’
a. 1871. The Dartmouth, vol. iv. One day I heard a Senior call a fellow a GONUS. ‘GONUS,’ echoed I, ‘what does that mean?’ ‘Oh,’ said he, ‘you’re a Freshman, and don’t understand. A stupid fellow, a dolt, a boot-jack, an ignoramus, is here called a GONUS. All Freshmen,’ he continued gravely, ‘are GONUSES.’
2. (colloquial).—A person past recovery, utterly ruined, or done for in any way.
1876. S. L. CLEMENS (‘Mark Twain’), The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, x. 99. ‘Yes, but she ain’t dead. And what’s more, she’s getting better, too.’ ‘All right, you wait and see. She’s a GONER, just as dead sure as Muff Potter’s a GONER. That’s what the niggers say, and they know all about these kind of things, Huck.’
1888. Cincinnati Enquirer. Fortunately, she did not see me, or else I should have been a GONER.
1891. N. GOULD, The Double Event, p. 261. ‘Make a noise or follow me, and you’re a GONER,’ said Smirk.
1892. HUME NISBET, The Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 212. A few more of her meddlings and she’s a GONER, that’s what she is.
