gull
pronunciation
How to pronounce gull in British English:
UK [gʌl]
How to pronounce gull in American English:
US [ɡʌl]
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- Noun:
- a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of
- mostly white aquatic bird having long pointed wings and short legs
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- Verb:
- make a fool or dupe of
- fool or hoax
Word Origin
- gull
- gull: [15] Gull is a Celtic contribution to English. It was probably borrowed from Welsh gwylan, which together with Cornish guilan, Breton gwelan, and Old Irish foilenn, goes back to a prehistoric Old Celtic *voilenno-. (The Old English word for ‘gull’ was mǣw, as in modern English sea mew.)
- gull (n.1)
- shore bird, early 15c. (in a cook book), probably from Brythonic Celtic; compare Welsh gwylan "gull," Cornish guilan, Breton goelann; all from Old Celtic *voilenno-. Replaced Old English mæw (see mew (n.1)).
- gull (n.2)
- cant term for "dupe, sucker, credulous person," 1590s, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from verb meaning "to dupe, cheat" (see gull (v.)). Or it is perhaps from (or influenced by) the bird name (see gull (n.1)); in either case with a sense of "someone who will swallow anything thrown at him." Another possibility is Middle English gull, goll "newly hatched bird" (late 14c.), which is perhaps from Old Norse golr "yellow," from the hue of its down.
- gull (v.)
- "to dupe, cheat, mislead by deception," 1540s, earlier "to swallow" (1520s), ultimately from gull "throat, gullet" (early 15c.); see gullet. Related: Gulled; gulling.
Example
- 1. A lone sea gull flew across the sky .
- 2. Gull flies over the sea .
- 3. A lone gull flew across the sky .
- 4. His passion for the theory was clear , until I asked him to tell me how he had invented the gull wings .
- 5. At least the death cry of the insignificant sooty gull gave her back her significance .