gudgeon

¹ American  

[guhj-uhn] / ˈgʌdʒ ən /

noun

1. a small, European, freshwater fish, Gobio gobio, of the minnow family, having a threadlike barbel at each corner of the mouth, used as bait.

2. any of certain related fishes.

3. a person who is easily duped or cheated.

4. a bait or allurement.

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verb (used with object)

1. to dupe or cheat.

gudgeon ² American  

[guhj-uhn] / ˈgʌdʒ ən /

noun

1. Machinery. a trunnion.

2. a socket for the pintle of a hinge.

3. Nautical. a socket attached to the stern frame of a vessel, for holding the pintle of a rudder.

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gudgeon ¹ British  

/ ˈɡʌdʒən /

noun

1. a small slender European freshwater cyprinid fish, Gobio gobio, with a barbel on each side of the mouth: used as bait by anglers

2. any of various other fishes, such as the goby

3. bait or enticement

4. slang a person who is easy to trick or cheat

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verb

1. slang (tr) to trick or cheat

gudgeon ² British  

/ ˈɡʌdʒən /

noun

1. 1. a pivot at the end of a beam or axle

   2. the female or socket portion of a pinned hinge

2. nautical one of two or more looplike sockets, fixed to the transom of a boat, into which the pintles of a rudder are fitted

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Etymology

Origin of gudgeon¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English gogion, gogen, from Old French go(u)jon, from Latin gōbiōn- (stem of gōbiō ), variant of gobius goby

Origin of gudgeon²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English gojoun, gog(e)on, from Old French go(u)jon, perhaps ultimately from Late Latin gu(l)bia a chisel; gouge

Example Sentences

Morose, georgette, cited, ingenuity, questionnaire, accessible, meringue, gudgeon, insoluble, parliamentary, aphorism, olfactory and lineaments cleared the stage of all but three.

From Time Magazine Archive

“Well,” Clay returned, “there’s a gudgeon up on shore that evidently wants to get hold of your hook, and you with it.”

From The River Motor Boat Boys on the St. Lawrence The Lost Channel by Gordon, Harry

"I don't want these cold things; haven't you kept me any gudgeon?"

From Tom Brown at Oxford by Hughes, Thomas

Dace and gudgeon are not so frequently caught in the navigable waters as other fish. p. 154Chub and barbel are unknown in the Broad District.

From The Handbook to the Rivers and Broads of Norfolk & Suffolk by Davies, G. Christopher

A rope reeved through a block at the end of a yard, by which the yard is moved horizontally; also, a rudder gudgeon.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (2nd 100 Pages) by Webster, Noah