Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also gov, gov’ner) an employer, a superior.

1679		Behn Feign’d Curtizans 44: [of a tutor] Corpo de mi, my Governour tickles her notably, i’faith.
1802		H. K. White letter in Poetical Wks & Remains (1855) 210: I have made such a proficiency in the law, as has ensured me the regard of my governors .
1836–7		Dickens Pickwick Papers (1999) 290: That ’ere your governor’s baggage, Sammy?
1856		Melbourne Punch 20 Nov. 3/2: Boss —Noun. A cove, a beak, a guvnor, a nob, an old ’un, a big-wig etc.
1858		A. Mayhew Paved with Gold 345: The Duck was wondering to himself, ‘what the doose had come to the governor’.
1861		(con. 1840s–50s) H. Mayhew London Labour and London Poor III 128/2: The gov. gives you out your dress.
1863		T. Taylor Ticket-Of-Leave Man Act III: A fellow coming to office the morning he’s going to be spliced — and when the Governor has given him a holiday too — by Jove, it beats the Old Bailey by lengths.
1867		Kendal Mercury 9 Mar. 4/3: What our gov has got into queer skin for, I can’t think.
1874		J. Greenwood Wilds of London (1881) 32: ‘Is that all?’ said the young governor.
1888		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Robbery Under Arms (1922) 155: My word, governor, you was all in great luck.
1898		Binstead & Wells Pink ’Un and Pelican 12: He carted her off in a cab, there and then, to his governor’s office.
1906		E. Dyson Fact’ry ’Ands 24: The Gov’ner [...] had just arrived on the scene, snapping orders.
1912		G.R. Chester Five Thousand an Hour Ch. vii: ‘All right, governor,’ assented Collaton a trifle sullenly. ‘I’ll fake that note for you to-night.’.
1926		P. White ‘A Circus List’ in AS I:5 282: Governor — The manager, or ‘Old Man’ of the circus.
1943		R. Llewellyn None But the Lonely Heart 294: Don’t let her come round here, governor.
1956		‘Charles Raven’ Und. Nights 100: He was Governor of a three-handed screwing team.
1962		F. Norman in Police and the Public in Norman’s London (1969) 124: The governor wants to have a talk to you about those kites.
1970		‘Metropolitan Police Sl.’ in P. Laurie Scotland Yard (1972) 323: governor: a superior in the Police, a term that expresses respect without servility.

2. a father.

1827		Sporting Mag. XX. 70: I was accompanied on this occasion by my Governor.
1835		Dickens ‘A Passage in the Life of Mr. Watkins Tottle’ in Slater Dickens’ Journalism I (1996) 434: The bills and them things on which the young husband, thinking his governor ’ud come round agin, had raised the vind just to blow himself on vith for a time.
1842		Boston Satirist (MA) 21 Oct. n.p.: ‘Bolt?’ she falter’d, ‘from the gov’nor? / Oh! my Colin, that won’t pay’.
1849		Thackeray Pendennis I 181: Governor will blow like an old grampus, I know he will.
1850		F.E. Smedley Frank Fairlegh (1878) 132: I want to introduce you to my mother and the governor.
1850		Dublin Eve. Mail 9 Dec. 3/3: ‘Why should boys, when grown up to manhood, lay aside the honoured name of ‘Father,’ and substitute in its place that of ‘Governor’.
1851		Manchester Spy (NH) 12 Apr. n.p.: ‘Papa [...] why do puseyites burn candles?’ ‘Why Tom,’ replied the matter-of-fact governor [etc].
1857		Bell’s Life in Victoria (Melbourne) 1 Aug. 2/5: Ned ‘drew’ the governor again and again, until that kindly treasurer began to intimate some reluctence.
1861		Hills & Plains I 107: If ‘the governor’ had money to bequeath, it might have been different.
1865		H. Kingsley Hillyars and Burtons (1870) 54: Is the governor in a great wax?
1874		‘Old Calabar’ Won in a Canter II 154: ‘[W]hen I married you I was afraid of the governor and to tell him what I had done’.
1882		‘F. Anstey’ Vice Versa (1931) 40: You’re a cool chap, Bultitude! If I were to go back to my governor now, he wouldn’t see it. It would put him in no end of a bait.
1888		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Robbery Under Arms (1922) 239: You takes after the old governor.
1890		Bulletin (Sydney) 19 July 12/3: George Coppin’s son celebrated his coming of age the other day, by taking a cool £100 from his venerable governor, as per agreement.
1896		H. Blossom Checkers 75: He’s been devilish kind, the governor has.
1905		Wash. Post 26 Feb. 7/6: Don’ts to Boys [...] Don’t speak of your father as the ‘governor.’.
1913		A. Lunn Harrovians 78: Good lord, you might tell your governor to dress like a gentleman.
1922		H. Lawson ‘Bob the Baker and British Breeding’ in Roderick (1972) 924: English governors don’t forgive as easily as Australian dads.
1930		E. Waugh Vile Bodies 128: As soon as the governor kicks the bucket, and I come in for the family doubloons and pieces of eight.
1960		A. Burgess Doctor Is Sick (1972) 59: My old governor was very ’ard. Knocked ’ell out of us kids.
1960		Mad mag. Apr. 15: Hello, Governor! Had a bit of a problem!

3. a general term of address to any (strange) man.

1815		‘Humours of Bartleme Fair, O!’ in Vocal Mag. 1 May 153: Yee’up, Governor, what’s the name of the large Bird there?
1821		Egan Life in London (1869) 260: I say, governor, how long are ve to be kept in this here rookery before you give us a sight of this Phenomony.
1843–44		Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit (1995) 378: ‘My youngest died last week.’ ‘I’m sorry for it, governor, with all my heart,’ said Mark.
1854		T. Buckley Sydenham Greenfinch 85: ‘You’re not such a hardened smoker as I am [...] Turn in, governor — good night’.
1871		C. Hindley Curiosities of Street Lit. 49: Well, governor, how does the cock fight?
1884		Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday 7 June 45: [caption] Rude Boy affably (to fond parent). There you are Guv’nor.
1892		Proc. Old Bailey 27 June 1014: I told the prisoner the charge—he said, ‘All right, governor; I will go quietly with you’.
1903		J. London People of the Abyss 11: The man in corduroy and dirty neckerchief no longer addressed me as ‘sir’ or ‘governor.’ It was ‘mate’ now.
1914		H. Hershfield Abie the Agent 4 Dec. [synd. cartoon strip] Come on, governor, I’m down and out.
1922		Joyce Ulysses 547: Say, how would it be, governor, if I was to bash in your jaw?
1968		‘Sl. of Watts’ in Current Sl. III:2 27: Governor, n. False title given to anyone.
1974		R. Blount Jr About Three Bricks Shy of a Load 55: ‘Hold on to that egg, guv’nor,’ Rooster said in the direction of a rookie receiver. ‘’Cause you can’t score without that apple’.
1997		(con. 1960s) A. Frewin London Blues 157: I’ve only got to sniff some white cooch, governor, and I’m there.

4. (UK Und.) a crime boss, usu. of a local area.

1839		(con. 1703) W.H. Ainsworth Jack Sheppard (1917) 22: He walked by the side of the governor.
1959		F. Norman Fings I i: At one time he was the governor of the manor but now he is dead skint.

5. a publican.

1958		F. Norman in Sun. Graphic 20 July in Norman’s London (1969) 19: I [...] asked the governor [...] what he thought about the annual ding-dong.
1984		‘Derek Raymond’ He Died with His Eyes Open 30: Behind it [i.e. the bar] stood an unbelievable-looking stout man, who had to be the governor.

6. an acknowledged expert.

1980

in British Journal Photography 4 Jan. n.p.: Time was, you had to be the governor at tasteful nudity.