Persons so called from the practice of jumping during the time allotted for religious worship. This singular practice began, it is said, in the western part of Wales, about the year 1760. It was soon after defended by Mr. William Williams, (the Welsh poet, as he is sometimes called,) in a pamphlet, which was patronized by the abettors of jumping in religious assemblies. Several of the more zealous itinerant preachers encouraged the people to cry out, "Goganiant," (the Welsh word for glory,) "Amen," &c. &c., to put themselves in violent agitations, and, finally, to jump until they were quite exhausted, so as often to be obliged to fall down on the floor, or the field, where this kind of worship was held.