gal:

Informal term a girl or woman .
Etymology: a) In the late 18 ^th century, a saucy name for an Irish woman , a modification of the Celtic caile, meaning girl . First recorded in English in 1795. b) In the US in the 1920s, an attractive young woman who was spunky, personable, and held independent views on politics and sex . 'What a gal!' was complimentary, implying that the woman referred to had both beauty and brains.

Quotes:

(1) Lady Lou (Mae West) in She Done Him Wrong (1933):
-- Friend: ' Ah, Lady Lou, you're a fine gal, a fine woman .'
-- Lady Lou: ' One of the finest women that ever walked the streets .'

(2) Cleo Borden (Mae West) and a Cowboy in Goin' to Town (1935):
-- Cowboy: ' What's the excuse for a gal like you to be running around single? '
-- Cleo Borden: ' I was born that-way .'

(3) Geraldine 'Gerry' Jeffers (Claudette Colbert) to her husband in The Palm Beach Story (1942): ' You have no idea what a long-legged gal can do without doing anything .'

See Also: altocalciphilia, charity dame, charity girl, charity moll, gal, gals at the stockyards, know, roundheel, roundheeled gal, roundheeler, roundheels, single, slope gal, slopie gal, spank, street girl, street walker, street whore, street worker, streetwalker, streetwalking, walk the streets, war paint

Quotes Containing gal:
Destiny Demeanor (Kathy Ireland) to Sgt. Jack Colt (Emilio Estevez) in National Lampoon''s Loaded Weapon 1 (1993): ''I''m just a gal like any other gal . I want a home , a family , an occasional spanking. ''
Geraldine ''Gerry'' Jeffers (Claudette Colbert) to her husband in The Palm Beach Story (1942): ''You have no idea what a long-legged gal can do without doing anything.''
V.I. (Kathleen Turner) about her sparkling red shoes in V.I. Warshawski (1991): ''There''s something about the right shade of lipstick and a great pair of shoes that just make a gal feel anything is possible.''
Lady Lou (Mae West) in She Done Him Wrong (1933): - Friend: ''Ah, Lady Lou, you''re a fine gal , a fine woman .'' - Lady Lou: ''One of the finest women that ever walked the streets .''
Lady Lou (Mae West) in She Done Him Wrong (1933): - Friend: ''Ah, Lady Lou, you''re a fine gal , a fine woman .'' - Lady Lou: ''One of the finest women that ever walked the streets .''
Lady Lou (Mae West) in She Done Him Wrong (1933): - Friend: ''Ah, Lady Lou, you''re a fine gal , a fine woman .'' - Lady Lou: ''One of the finest women that ever walked the streets .''
Lady Lou (Mae West) in She Done Him Wrong (1933): - Friend: ''Ah, Lady Lou, you''re a fine gal , a fine woman .'' - Lady Lou: ''One of the finest women that ever walked the streets .''
Lady Lou (Mae West) in She Done Him Wrong (1933): - Friend: ''Ah, Lady Lou, you''re a fine gal , a fine woman .'' - Lady Lou: ''One of the finest women that ever walked the streets .''
Paula (Lana Turner) and Jonny (Clark Gable) in Somewhere I''ll Find You (1942): - Paula Lane: ''Any gal that listens to the howl of a wolf is a gonner.'' - Jonny Davis: ''Little Riding Hood didn''t do so bad .'' - Paula Lane: ''She didn''t do so good either... ''til she got wise.''
Cleo (Mae West) and a cowboy in Goin' to Town (1935): - Cowboy: 'What's the excuse for a gal like you to be running around single?' - Cleo Borden: 'I was born that-way .'
V.I. (Kathleen Turner) about her sparkling red shoes in V.I. Warshawski (1991): ''There''s something about the right shade of lipstick and a great pair of shoes that just make a gal feel anything is possible.''
Lady Lou (Mae West) in She Done Him Wrong (1933): - Friend: ''Ah, Lady Lou, you''re a fine gal , a fine woman .'' - Lady Lou: ''One of the finest women that ever walked the streets .''
Cleo Borden (Mae West) and a Cowboy in Goin'' to Town (1935): - Cowboy: ''What''s the excuse for a gal like you to be running around single?'' - Cleo Borden: ''I was born that-way .''

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