Robin/Tut/Greg
In an effort to further the levels of literacy , I include the following for your perusal:-
What is a gam?
It can be used as a noun and a verb
An old nautical term used to describe a social gathering, afloat or ashore. After a friendly hail at sea, dropping sail and anchor for a gam was an occasion for familiar commerce between two (or more) whaling or merchant vessels. A gam offered the ships' officers and crews an opportunity to share information: to discuss were they had been and where they were going ~ exchange correspondence and newspapers from distant or home ports ~ and adapt their ship's course as necessary, based upon one another's experience. Often, provisions would be shared to prepare a special repast ~ and pastimes would take place for the amusement of one and all. Especially when shipmasters' wives and families were aboard ~ gams were sought to break up the monotony of a long voyage.
I can only venture that the "soiled" version of gamming would be commensurate with the time these old sea dogs had been at sea without bathing?
Accordingly, a gam ashore would be a similar experience ~ and an entertaining and enlightening time for old salts and landlubbers alike.
This very forum would be the electronic equivalent of gamming
I seem to remember a less savoury use of the word from the days of my youth.
Gam was used as a noun and a verb in the context of oral s*x
A gam (gammy)
To gam
