gapper n.1
1. (US black) a onlooker, an outsider, a non-participant.
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | Cherryvale News Notes (Wichita, KS) 19 Nov. 3/2: Very sorry to say so, but [...] there are quite a large number of gappers right here. | |
| Pittsburgh Courier (PA) 25 Nov. 7/1: After taking a gapper through your spiel in the Smoky City Fourth estate, I’m stached in my niche in this doss joint diggin’ the ether box. | |
| ‘Solid Meddlin’ in People’s Voice (NY) 7 Mar. 33/1: A gappers bid of March doin’ the lamb act on bright. |
2. (US Und.) a foolish bystander; esp. one who witnesses a crime but is not taking part.
| ‘Prison Parlance’ in AS IX:1 26: gapper. One who gaps. | |
| et al. DAUL 76/2: Gapper. 1. One who is present during the commission of a crime, but does not actually participate in it. 2. One who gapes, especially a bystander who might hinder the execution of a crime. 3. A kibitzer in a card game; an onlooker. |
3. (US prison) a mirror used like a periscope to watch a prison guard; thus the lookout who uses one.
| Prison Community (1940) 332/1: gapper, n. A piece of mirror used as a periscope to watch the guard, used by inmates in prison when cooking or handling other contraband. | |
| World’s Toughest Prison 800: gapper – A mirror. | |
| Prison Sl. 40: Button A lookout. […] (Archaic: gapper, hawk, jigger). |
4. (US Black, also gappers) a view (of), a look (at).
| Pittsburgh Courier (PA) 10 Feb. 7/1: It is away [sic] for the average beings’ conks to get a gapper of the ’gators. | |
 | ‘Solid Meddlin’’ in People’s Voice (NY) 14 Mar. 33/1: After getting a gappers of Alice (Lincoln drug store) Mitchell, I couldn’t help but think [etc]. |