gill

¹

[gil]

noun

1. the respiratory organ of aquatic animals, as fish, that breathe oxygen dissolved in water.

2. Also called lamella. one of the radiating vertical plates on the underside of the cap of an agaric mushroom.

3. ground ivy.

verb (used with object)

1. to gut or clean (fish).

2. to catch (fish) by the gills in a gill net.

gill

²

[jil]

noun

1. a unit of liquid measure equal to ¼ pint (118.2937 milliliters).

gill

³

[gil]

noun

British.

1. a deep rocky cleft or wooded ravine forming the course of a stream.

2. a stream; brook; rivulet.

gill

⁴

[jil]

noun

Archaic.

1. a girl or young woman, especially a sweetheart.

gill

⁵

[gil]

noun

1. a faller used in the combing process, generally for only the highest-quality fibers.

verb (used with object)

1. to comb (fibers) with a gill.

Gill

⁶

[gil, jil]

noun

1. a male given name.

2. a female given name.

gill

¹

/ ɡɪl /

noun

1. the respiratory organ in many aquatic animals, consisting of a membrane or outgrowth well supplied with blood vessels. External gills occur in tadpoles, some molluscs, etc; internal gills , within gill slits, occur in most fishes

2. any of the radiating leaflike spore-producing structures on the undersurface of the cap of a mushroom

verb

1. to catch (fish) or (of fish) to be caught in a gill net

2. (tr) to gut (fish)

gill

²

/ dʒɪl /

noun

1. a unit of liquid measure equal to one quarter of a pint

2. dialect,  half a pint, esp of beer

gill

³

/ ɡɪl /

noun

1. a narrow stream; rivulet

2. a wooded ravine

3. (capital when part of place name) a deep natural hole in rock; pothole

   Gaping Gill

gill

⁴

/ dʒɪl /

noun

1. archaic,  a girl or sweetheart

2. Also spelt: jill. dialect,  a female ferret

3. an archaic or dialect name for ground ivy

Gill

⁵

/ ɡɪl /

noun

1. ( Arthur ) Eric ( Rowton ). 1882–1940, British sculptor, engraver, and typographer: his sculptures include the Stations of the Cross in Westminster Cathedral, London

gill

1. The organ that enables most aquatic animals to take dissolved oxygen from the water. It consists of a series of membranes that have many small blood vessels. Oxygen passes into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide passes out of it as water flows across the membranes.

2. One of the thin strips of tissue on the underside of the cap of many species of basidiomycete fungi. Gills produce the spore-bearing structures known as basidia.

Other Word Forms

• gill-less adjective
• gill-like adjective
• gilled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of gill¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English gile, from Scandinavian; compare Old Norse gjǫlnar, from unattested gelnō; cognate with Swedish gäl, Danish gælle, Norwegian gjelle “gill”

Origin of gill²

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English gille, from Old French: “vat, tub,” from Late Latin gello, gillo “water pot”

Origin of gill³

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English gille, from Old Norse gil

Origin of gill⁴

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English gil(le) (generic use of Gil(le), short form of Gillian; Gillian

Origin of gill⁵

First recorded in 1830–40; perhaps special use of gill ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of gill¹

C14: of Scandinavian origin; compare Swedish gäl, Danish gjælle, Greek khelunē lip

Origin of gill²

C14: from Old French gille vat, tub, from Late Latin gillō cooling vessel for liquids, of obscure origin

Origin of gill³

C11: from Old Norse gil steep-sided valley

Origin of gill⁴

C15: special use of Gill, short for Gillian, girl's name

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. green / white around the gills, somewhat pale, as from being sickly, nervous, or frightened.

   The tourists were seasick—all of them green around the gills as the boat rocked back to shore.

2. to the gills, completely; fully; totally.

   After that big meal we were all stuffed to the gills.

Example Sentences

Are we not warmed by the same ultraviolet rays, quenched by the same pirated water, ensnared in the same gill net of freeways?

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The ikejime process involves taking live fish that has just been caught and quickly putting them out of their misery by killing them with a spike through the brain and cutting their gills.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“They have gills that help them breathe underwater,” she explained, holding a microphone next to the tank, adding that the axolotl can change colors to hide.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

With shelters and rescues stuffed to the gills, an influx of pets is “another impact to an already stressed system,” Berke said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But how could I not arrive stuffed to the gills?

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• run