Dictionary

gull en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• gŭl
• (US) audio
• /ɡʊl/ (Northern-England)
• /ˈɡʌl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English gulle, from a Brythonic language (compare Breton gouelan, Welsh gwylan, and Cornish golan), from Proto-Brythonic *gwuɨlann, from Proto-Celtic *weilannā (“seagull”). Cognate with Old Irish foílenn, Scottish Gaelic faoileag. Compare French goéland, a borrowing from Breton. Eclipsed Middle English lare (borrowed from Latin larus) and Middle English mewe (from Old English mæw).

Meanings

1. A seabird of the genus Larus or of the subfamily Larinae.
   • The tide was out, and we drew up amid the strong bracing smell of seaweed, with gulls screeching, wheeling around, and gliding on the wind. 1947 January–February, O. S. Nock, “‘The Aberdonian’ in Wartime”, in The Railway Magazine, volume 93, number 567, page 8:
   • Most gulls don’t bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight—how to get from shore to food and back again.[…]For this gull, though, it was not eating that mattered, but flight. 1970, Richard Bach, “Part One”, in Jonathan Livingston Seagull: A Story, Macmillan; republished as complete edition, Scribner, 21 October 2014, →ISBN, page 4:
2. Any of various pierid butterflies of the genus Cepora.

Forms

Deriveds

gull-billed tern · as the gull flies · glaucous-winged gull · Mediterranean gull · Olympic gull · Bonaparte's gull · European herring gull · southern black-backed gull · Dominican gull · silver gull · Pacific gull · gull-wing · gull chaser · flood gull · ivory gull · herring gull · Caspian gull · red-billed gull · seagull · robber gull · sea-gull · Heermann's gull · glaucous gull · slaty-backed gull · common gull · mackerel gull · great black-backed gull · greater black-backed gull · ring-billed gull · Ross's gull · shark-gull · gullfeed · laughing gull · white-eyed gull · Audouin's gull · black-headed gull · Pallas's gull · yellow-legged gull · land gull · Iceland gull · gullwing · Sabine's gull · black-backed gull · little gull · Cape gull · mew gull · Franklin's gull · kelp gull · lesser black-backed gull · slender-billed gull

Synonyms

mew · seabird · seamew · seagull

Translations (206)

yag kalala (seabird) · nv tónteel tsídii (seabird) · ka თოლია (seabird) · ga faoileán (seabird) · sh галеб (seabird) · nb måse (seabird) · ajp نَوْرَس (seabird) · nn måse (seabird) · af meeu (seabird) · ru ча́йка (seabird) · ota بركه (seabird) · tr martı (seabird) · uk ме́ва (seabird) · lt mevas (seabird) · kw golan (seabird) · bvr rrertert (seabird) · la larus (seabird) · fr mauve (seabird) · lzz მარტინი (seabird) · sk čajka (seabird) · niv кеӽ (seabird) · pnt χαψοπούλλι (seabird) · vi hải âu (seabird) · es gaviota (seabird) · ca gavina (seabird) · uk ма́ртин (seabird) · aeb ڨاوية (seabird) · gl canrai (seabird) · sq pulëbardha (seabird) · nds Meev (seabird) · gl gácea (seabird) · eu antxeta (seabird) · pnt τζελελία (seabird) · enm gulle (seabird) · ab аҷныш (seabird) · mi karoro (seabird) · ja ウミネコ (seabird) · ar نَوْرَس (seabird) · mt gawwija (seabird) · tiw martapani (seabird) · ms camar (seabird) · ko 갈매기 (seabird) · is mávur (seabird) · mph marrakak (seabird) · sh galeb (seabird) · ro pescăruș (seabird) · hy որոր (seabird) · mph mirrijpu (seabird) · ajp نَوْرَس (seabird) · xal цах (seabird) · ltg kaiva (seabird) · az qağayı (seabird) · oc gavian (seabird) · tet gaivota (seabird) · wim oopal (seabird) · kk шағала (seabird) · sv trut (seabird) · he שחף (seabird) · acw نَوْرَس (seabird) · otw gyaashk (seabird) · udm сизясь (seabird) · be мэ́ва (seabird) · fo máur (seabird) · fy meau (seabird) · vec cocal (seabird) · udm камкоӵо (seabird) · haw kalapuna (seabird) · sv mås (seabird) · nrf mâove (seabird) · nl meeuw (seabird) · ajp نوارِس (seabird) · hu sirály (seabird) · ast gavilueta (seabird) · tiw wujirrini (seabird) · mrj колшӹре (seabird) · nds Meiw’ (seabird) · itl йаӄйаӄ (seabird) · lv kajaks (seabird) · ang mǣw (seabird) · nds Mööw’ (seabird) · scn gava (seabird) · fo mávur (seabird) · ja 海猫 (seabird) · hsb tonuška (seabird) · wbp kijitarra-tarra (seabird) · da måge (seabird) · fur smurgnic (seabird) · dsb rybnica (seabird) · rom chirikli-mariaki (seabird) · fa مرغ دریایی (seabird) · kpv каля (seabird) · nn måke (seabird) · sc laru (seabird) · sw shakwe (seabird) · la gavia (seabird) · ltg zyvāda (seabird) · af seemeeu (seabird) · mn цахлай (seabird) · gl gueivota (seabird) · fo mási (seabird) · lzz ალიონი (seabird) · fi lokki (seabird) · gl merlinga (seabird) · sah хопто (seabird) · ajp نوارِس (seabird) · udm чарлан (seabird) · xmf თოლია (seabird) · br gouelan (seabird) · to tala (seabird) · hy ճայ (seabird) · cv чарлан (seabird) · kl naaja (seabird) · gl pílora (seabird) · ota مارتی (seabird) · eu kaio (seabird) · io muevo (seabird) · cmn 海鷗 /海鸥 (seabird) · vi mòng bể (seabird) · fr mouette (seabird) · rom chayka (seabird) · fy seefûgel (seabird) · mhr колшыре (seabird) · mk га́леб (seabird) · ja カモメ (seabird) · sl galeb (seabird) · mr समुद्रकावळा (seabird) · mzn کاکایی (seabird) · pdt Meew (seabird) · lb Méiw (seabird) · vi mòng biển (seabird) · lt kiras (seabird) · my စင်ရော် (seabird) · yi מעווע (seabird) · pt gaivota (seabird) · gl gaivota (seabird) · moe tshiashkᵘ (seabird) · tt акчарлак (seabird) · kum чабакъ къуш (seabird) · nrf mauve (seabird) · rm muetta (seabird) · ajp نورس (seabird) · nb måke (seabird) · ain カピウ (seabird) · el γλάρος (seabird) · kum чарлакъкъуш (seabird) · sc cau marinu (seabird) · oj gayaashk (seabird) · de Möwe (seabird) · ast gaviota (seabird) · gl carrau (seabird) · nds Mööv (seabird) · de Möwenvogel (seabird) · sc gavina (seabird) · be ча́йка (seabird) · fur cocâl (seabird) · se báiski (seabird) · gl argau (seabird) · cy gwylan (seabird) · bvr ji-rrimula (seabird) · ady хытхьарыкъуэ (seabird) · nay throkeri (seabird) · bg ча́йка (seabird) · pl mewa (seabird) · gl papón (seabird) · nds Meuv (seabird) · fr goéland (seabird) · uk ча́йка (seabird) · kky milgaandurr (seabird) · grc λάρος (seabird) · lld gabian (seabird) · la mergus (seabird) · cjs ағый (seabird) · kum чабакъчы (seabird) · izh kajava (seabird) · cs racek (seabird) · mhr тарляк (seabird) · av чайка (seabird) · scn aceddu dû malutempu (seabird) · ibd mirridbu (seabird) · vo mev (seabird) · dji jarrak (seabird) · acw نوارِس (seabird) · ajp نوارِس (seabird) · et kajakas (seabird) · alr яӄяӄ (seabird) · kla kolʔa (seabird) · ik nauyaq (seabird) · lv kaiva (seabird) · ca gavià (seabird) · it gabbiano (seabird) · gv foillan (seabird) · eo laro (seabird) · gd faoileag (seabird) · ga faoileog (seabird) · lv kaija (seabird) · nrf maoue (seabird) · is máfur (seabird) · ms burung camar (seabird) · lzz ჭინო (seabird) · mph kalawitpit (seabird) · ckb نەورەس (seabird) · pnt τζίνος (seabird) · gd faoileann (seabird) · ckt йъаяӄ (seabird) · eo mevo (seabird) · ja 鴎 (seabird)

gull en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• gŭl
• (US) audio
• /ɡʊl/ (Northern-England)
• /ˈɡʌl/

Etymology

Perhaps from an obsolete term gull (“to swallow, guzzle”), from Middle English golen (“to make swallowing motions, gape”), from Middle English gole (“throat”).

Meanings

1. (slang) A cheating trick; a fraud.
   • BENEDICK. [Aside] I should think this a gull, but that the white-bearded fellow speaks it: knavery cannot, sure, hide itself in such reverence. 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:
2. A stupid animal.
3. One easily cheated; a dupe.
4. (obsolete, qualifier:Oxford University slang) A swindler or trickster.
   • You'll excuse me, sir, but as you are fresh, take care to avoid the gulls; they fly about here in large flocks, I assure you, and do no little mischief at times." "I never understood that gulls were birds of prey," said I.—"Only in Oxford, sir; and here, I assure you, they bite like hawks, and pick many a poor young gentleman as bare before his three years are expired, as the crows would a dead sheep upon a common. […]" 1825, Bernard Blackmantle, The English Spy:

Forms

gull en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• gŭl
• (US) audio
• /ɡʊl/ (Northern-England)
• /ˈɡʌl/

Etymology

Perhaps from an obsolete term gull (“to swallow, guzzle”), from Middle English golen (“to make swallowing motions, gape”), from Middle English gole (“throat”).

Meanings

1. To deceive or cheat.
   • [S]peak your curses out / Against me, who would sooner crush and grind / A brace of toads, than league with them to oppress / An innocent lady, gull an Emperor […] a. 1822 (date written), John Keats, “Otho the Great: A Tragedy in Five Acts.”, in [Horace Elisha Scudder], editor, The Complete Poetical Works and Letters of John Keats, Cambridge edition, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company […], published 1899, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i:
   • The vulgar, gulled into rebellion, armed. 1660, [John] Dryden, Astraea Redux:
   • O, but to ha' gulled him / Had been a mastery. 1610 (first performance), Ben[jamin] Jonson, The Alchemist, London: […] Thomas Snodham, for Walter Burre, and are to be sold by Iohn Stepneth, […], published 1612, →OCLC, (please specify the Internet Archive page), (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
   • And is all this Cabala too, and only to be uſed vvhen People are to be gulled vvith noiſy Nothings? i.e. vvith empty Pleroma's, and ſilent Thunderclaps. 1697 May 5 (date written; Gregorian calendar), E. W. [i.e., Edward Stillingfleet], “Postscript”, in The Bishop of Worcester’s Answer to Mr. [John] Locke’s Letter, Concerning Some Passages Relating to His Essay of Humane Understanding, […], London: […] J. H. for Henry Mortlock […], published 1697, →OCLC, page 143:
   • I'm not gulling him for the emperor's service. c. 1798, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Wallenstein:
   • She has done these things before and remembers now that she is good at them, often steadier than the men. In Berlin when Jack needed a spare girl Mary had kept watch, gulled room keys out of concierges, replaced stolen documents in dangerous desks, driven scared Joes to safe flats. 1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy:
2. (US, slang) To mislead.
3. (US, slang) To trick and defraud.
4. (dialectal) To flatter, wheedle.

Forms

Deriveds

guller · gullible → gullibility · gullery · gullibly · gullish · gullable · gullcatcher

Translations (10)

hu átejt (to deceive or cheat) · ro înșela (to deceive or cheat) · ru обма́нывать (to deceive or cheat) · bg измамвам (to deceive or cheat) · hu bepaliz (to deceive or cheat) · ro păcăli (to deceive or cheat) · hu becsap (to deceive or cheat) · cs napálit (to deceive or cheat) · hu rászed (to deceive or cheat) · mk и́змами (to deceive or cheat)

gull en · NOUN · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• gŭl
• (US) audio
• /ɡʊl/ (Northern-England)
• /ˈɡʌl/

Etymology

From Middle English gole (“a whirlpool, narrow inlet of the sea, ditch or stream”), from Middle Low German goel, gȫl, gȫle (“swamp, marshy lowland”), related to Old Dutch gulla (“pool, puddle”), Old French goille (“pool, puddle, pond”), all ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *goli, *golljā (“puddle”), perhaps from Proto-Germanic *guljaz, *guljǭ.

Meanings

1. (dialectal) A breach or hole made by the force of a torrent; fissure, chasm.
2. (dialectal) A channel made by a stream; a natural watercourse; running water.

Forms

Deriveds

gullick

gull en · VERB · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• gŭl
• (US) audio
• /ɡʊl/ (Northern-England)
• /ˈɡʌl/

Etymology

From Middle English gole (“a whirlpool, narrow inlet of the sea, ditch or stream”), from Middle Low German goel, gȫl, gȫle (“swamp, marshy lowland”), related to Old Dutch gulla (“pool, puddle”), Old French goille (“pool, puddle, pond”), all ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *goli, *golljā (“puddle”), perhaps from Proto-Germanic *guljaz, *guljǭ.

Meanings

1. (dialectal) To sweep away by the force of running water; to carve or wear into a gully.

Forms