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 ( def ).

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 branchial
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

/ ɡɪl /

noun

1. Gill(Arthur) Eric18821940MBritishARTS AND CRAFTS: sculptorARTS AND CRAFTS: engraverWRITING: typographer ( Arthur ) Eric ( Rowton ). 1882–1940, British sculptor, engraver, and typographer: his sculptures include the Stations of the Cross in Westminster Cathedral, London

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. dialect.
   a female ferret Also speltjill
3. an archaic or dialect name for ground ivy

gill

⁵

/ dʒɪl /

noun

1. a unit of liquid measure equal to one quarter of a pint
2. dialect.
   half a pint, esp of beer

gill

/ gĭl /

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.

Derived Forms

• ˈgill-ˌlike, adjective
• gilled, adjective
• ˈgill-less, adjective

Other Words From

• gill-less adjective
• gill-like 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

C11: from Old Norse gil steep-sided valley

Origin of gill³

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

Origin of gill⁴

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

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, Informal. completely; fully; totally:

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

Example Sentences

But its wormy shape gives it the ability to swim right into the gills of fish, where it drinks its fill of blood.

From Salon

Instead of having gill covers like most other fish, moral eels breathe by opening and closing their mouths, appearing as if they’re gasping for breath.

From Los Angeles Times

NRW said Samuel deliberately used a large spinning bait with a barbed treble hook, and when the fish was examined by the officer the lure was still lodged deep in its throat and gill rackers.

From BBC

Their secret to success lies within: Symbiotic bacteria live inside their gills and help them meet their nutritional needs, forming such a close relationship that these clams couldn't survive without their little companions.

From Science Daily

"Depending on the contaminant and its chemistry, if it is small enough to pass through the gills of the mussel, it has the potential to accumulate in their tissue or precipitate within the hard-shell structure."

From Science Daily

Related Words

• run