Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Irish/US) an awkward, strange or stupid person; thus fem. gazaboine; also any fellow.

1889		in Amer. N&Q IV 53/1: Gazeebo [...] Colloquially, it sometimes means a laughing stock, or a gazing stock.
1893		F.P. Dunne in Schaaf Mr Dooley’s Chicago (1977) 54: ‘What’s that?’ I says, pointin’ out a gazabo with long hair. ‘That’s Gilder,’ he says. ‘He’s a great pote.’.
1894		J. Frye Fables of Field and Staff 70: He’s a dam chump! [...] he’s a reg’lar galvanized gazaboo, an’ nuttin’ else.
1896		Ade Artie (1963) 29: Who does I meet comin’ out o’ the house but a cheap gazabo.
1899		W.J. Kountz Billy Baxter’s Letters 50: A lot of these handsome gazabes go around looking wise, winning girls out, and thinking they are the happy thought.
1899–1900		C.L. Cullen Tales of the Ex-Tanks 130: It’s a pretty unsual thing for a man to be humiliated through no less a famous gazebu than William Shakespeare.
1900		A.H. Lewis ‘Mulberry Mary’ in Sandburrs 9: An’ says this gezeybo for a finish: ‘This Cleopatra was a wonder for looks’.
1902		‘Billy Burgundy’ Toothsome Tales Told in Sl. 79: Feliz was a bright gazabo.
1902		E. Townsend Chimmie Fadden and Mr Paul 49: All de sneak woik against him was done by a man, de gazeaboo Metternich.
1902		F.P. Dunne Mr Dooley’s Opinions 111: I was r-readin’ th’ other day about a vote cast by a lot iv distinguished gazabs.
1902		‘Hugh McHugh’ It’s Up to You 27: Isn’t she the wise little gazaboine, though?
1906		‘Hugh McHugh’ Skidoo! 14: Two busy gazabes were discussing politics.
1907		B. Fisher A. Mutt in Blackbeard Compilation (1977) 3: A fellow what used to go with a sister of a man who is a half cousin to a gazabo who was a stable boy [...].
1909		Coshocton (OH) Daily Times 27 Aug. 8/7: That’s the way this Gazaboo knocked his town.
1914		Ade ‘The New Fable of the Private Agitator’ in Ade’s Fables 14: Money will creep out of the Yarn Stockings and a few Wise Gazabes will cop all the Plush.
1914		Jackson & Hellyer Vocab. Criminal Sl. 37: gazuny [...] a man.
1914		Ade ‘The New Fable of the Wandering Boy’ in Ade’s Fables 120: He figured that a Gazimbat with a John C. Calhoun Forehead [...] could break into almost any Reservoir of Culture.
1915		Wodehouse Psmith Journalist (1993) 304: Say, I got it in for dem gazebos, sure I have.
1918		R. Dirks ‘Hans und Fritz’ [comic strip] In all my life neffer I saw such a fresh gazabo.
1922		Morn. Tulsa Dly World (OK) 18 June 32/4: We give her the runaround on who was he and what did he look like [...] an’ what kind of a gazabe was he.
1927		(con. 1900s) S. Lewis Elmer Gantry 23: I get so sick of that gosh-awful Weekly Bible Study — all about those holy old gazebos.
1929		S. Ornitz Haunch Paunch and Jowl 105: I’m waiting for a guy – gotta show it to him – Al Wolff, one wise gazabo.
1935		W. Smith Bessie Cotter 223: You’re one of those fresh gazebos.
1937		F.Gruber ‘Death on Eagle’s Crag’ in Goulart (1967) 178: I’m kinda curious to know which of you gazabos had the nerve to pull a job like this.
1941		J. Archibald ‘Dog Collared’ in Popular Detective Oct. 🌐 They sent Joe Stalin’s Number One gazabo up for fakin’ a passport.
1945		(con. 1900s) S. O’Casey Drums Under the Windows 200: Him? A dangerous gazebo, hot-foot after English money, that’s what he is.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 77/2: Gazabo. A man.
1983		W.F Marshall ‘The Runaway’ in Livin’ in Drumlister 76: Well, listen to this. / Yon hirplin’ gazaybo, yir father, / He’ll say nether ay, naw nor yis.
1994		(con. 1960s) G. Byrne Pictures in my Head 39: Now that gazebo with the beard is Castro, an awful bowsie.