gape-seed
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Something to look at, cause for astonishment; a lazy fellow, unmindful of his work, is said to be "looking for GAPE-SEED." Rustics are said to find plenty of "GAPE-SEED" in London streets.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “gape-seed” mean?
Something to look at, cause for astonishment; a lazy fellow, unmindful of his work, is said to be "looking for GAPE-SEED." Rustics are said to find plenty of "GAPE-SEED" in London streets.
Is “gape-seed” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.