rum go

• rum goo

UK dialectal (chiefly Cockney); rum (“strange, peculiar”) + go (“incident, occurrence”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɹʌm.ˌɡəʊ/

rum go (plural rum gos)

1. (Cockney slang, archaic) A peculiar, surprising, and/or confusing event, thing, &c.
   • 1836, Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, Chapter 35, p. 318:

     ‘Here’s rayther a rum go, sir,’ replied Sam.
     ‘What?’ inquired Mr. Pickwick.
     ‘This here, Sir,’ rejoined Sam. ‘I’m wery much afeerd, sir, that the properiator o' this here coach is a playin' some imperence vith us.’

   • 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, Chapter 7, p. 44:

     “Well, who's a better right?” growled the gamekeeper. “A pretty rum go if squire ain't to talk for Dr. Livesey, I should think.”

   • 1955, C. S. Lewis, The Magician's Nephew, p. 85:

     “There they are, Strawberry - Fledge, I should say. This is a rum go.”

   • 1964, William Crozier Walsh & al., Mary Poppins:

     Bert: Life's a rum go, Guv'nor, and that's the truth.

   • 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, p. 37:

     Adrian thought it worth while to try out his new slang. ‘I say, you fellows, here's a rum go. Old Biffo was jolly odd this morning. He gave me a lot of pi-jaw about slacking and then invited me to tea. No rotting! He did really.’

• rum start, rum 'un, rum one