Meanings
hull1
present singular third person hulls · participle present hulling · participle past hulled · past hulled
hull2
plural hulls
- aeronauticsThe body or frame of a vessel, such as a ship or plane.
Deep in their hulls our deadly bullets light, / And through the yielding planks a passage find.
1667, John Dryden, Annus Mirabilis: The Year of Wonders, 1666. […], London: […] Henry Herringman, […], →OCLC, stanza 601 more example
VVhen you haue berthed or brought her [the ship] vp to the planks, vvhich are thoſe thicke timbers vvhich goeth fore and aft on each ſide, vvhereon doth lie the beames of the firſt Orlop, vvhich is the firſt floore to ſupport the plankes doth couer the Hovvle, thoſe are great croſſe timbers, that keepes the ſhip ſides aſunder, the maine beame is euer next the maine maſt, […]
1627, Iohn Smith [i.e., John Smith], “How to Build a Ship with the Definitions of All the Principall Names of Euery Part of her Principall Timbers, also How They are Fixed One to Another, and the Reasons of Their Vse”, in A Sea Grammar, with the Plaine Exposition of Smiths Accidence for Young Sea-men, Enlarged. […], London: […] Iohn Haviland, →OCLC, page 5Synonyms: fuselage
- geometryThe smallest set that possesses a particular property (such as convexity) and contains every point of A; slightly more formally, the intersection of all sets which possess the specified property and of which A is a subset.
holomorphically convex hull; affine hull; injective hull
1 more example
The orthogonal convex hull of an orthogonal polygon is the smallest orthogonally convex polygon that encloses the original polygon.
Synonyms: affine hull, affine span, span
present singular third person hulls · participle present hulling · participle past hulled · past hulled
- intransitiveobsoletenauticalTo drift; to be carried by the impetus of wind or water on the ship's hull alone, with sails furled.
In this virtuous voyage of life hull not about like the ark, without the use of rudder, mast, or sail, and bound for no port.
1716, Thomas Browne, edited by Samuel Johnson, Christian Morals, 2nd edition, London: J. Payne, published 1756, Part I, p. 82 more examples
We goe not, but we are carried: as things that flote, now gliding gently, now hulling violently, according as the water is, either stormy or calme.
1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 1, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC[…] Thus hulling in The wild sea of my conscience, I did steer Toward this remedy, whereupon we are Now present here together:
1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv] - transitiveTo hit (a ship) in the hull with cannon fire etc.
During this action, we had not a man killed or wounded, although the enemy often hulled us, and once, in particular, a shot coming into one of our ports, dismounted one of our guns between decks […]
1774, George Shelvocke, “The Voyage of Captain Shelvock Round the World”, in David Henry, editor, An Historical Account of All the Voyages Round the World, Performed by English Navigators, volume 2, London: F. Newbery, page 163
Hull3
plural Hulls
- A placename:
- countableuncountableA river in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, which flows into the Humber.
- countableuncountableThe common name of Kingston upon Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
- countableuncountableHull, Quebec: The central business district and oldest neighborhood of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada.
- countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in DeSoto County, Florida.
- countableuncountableA city in Madison County, Georgia.
- countableuncountableA village in Pike County, Illinois.
- countableuncountableA city in Sioux County, Iowa.
- countableuncountableA coastal town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts.
- countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in Emmons County, North Dakota.
- countableuncountableAn unincorporated community and census-designated place in Liberty County, Texas.
- countableuncountableAn unincorporated community in McDowell County, West Virginia.
- countableuncountableA town in Marathon County, Wisconsin.
- countableuncountableA town in Portage County, Wisconsin.
- countableA surname.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe body or frame of a vessel, such as a ship or plane.
nounThe smallest set that possesses a particular property (such as convexity) and contains every point of A; slightly more formally, the intersection of all sets which possess the specified property and of which A is a subset.
Origin
hull · noun, verb
- Proto-Indo-European*kal-“hard”
- Proto-Indo-European*ḱel-“to cover, hide”
- Proto-Germanic*hul-
- Old Englishhulu“seed covering”
- Middle Englishhul
- Englishhull
From Middle English hul, hulle, holle (“seed covering, hull of a ship”), from Old English hulu (“seed covering”), from Proto-Germanic *hul-, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover, hide”); or possibly from Proto-Indo-European *kal- (“hard”). Compare Dutch hul (“hood”), German Hülle (“cover, wrap”), Hülse (“hull”); also Old Irish calad, calath (“hard”), Latin callus, callum (“rough skin”), Old Church Slavonic калити (kaliti, “to cool, harden”). For the sense development, compare French coque (“nutshell; ship's hull”), Ancient Greek φάσηλος (phásēlos, “bean pod; yacht”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →hull · noun, verb
- Middle Englishhole
- Middle Englishholle
- Englishhull
From Middle English holle, hoole (“hull, hold of a ship, ship”), of uncertain origin. Possibly a variant and special use of Etymology 1 above, conformed to hull. Alternatively, a variant of Middle English hole, hoole, holle (“hiding place, lair, den, shelter, compartment”, literally “hole, hollow”), related to Middle Dutch and Dutch hol (“hole, ship's cargo hold”). More at hole.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Hull · proper noun
- Proto-Indo-European*sew-“to press”
- Proto-Celtic*soulos
- Proto-Brythonic*hʉl
- Middle EnglishHull
- EnglishHull
The town in England is Inherited from Middle English Hull, Hul, Hulle, traditionally derived from Proto-Brythonic *hʉl, from Proto-Celtic *soulos, from Proto-Indo-European *sew- (“to press”); Breeze instead suggests derivation from hula, plural of hulu (“hut”). Chaucer's Hulle (for expected *Hul, *Hule) is presumably a hypercorrect Southern form. The surname is either from the English town or Middle English hulle, western variant of hylle (“hill”); many other place names are ultimately from the surname.
More words from Middle English, Proto-Brythonic, Proto-Celtic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek σκάφος
- σκάφος (skáphos)the body or frame of a vessel
Bulgarian шушулка, беля
- шушулка (šušulka)outer covering of a fruit or seed
- беля (belja)to remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- лющя (ljuštja)to remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- ко́рпус (kórpus)the body or frame of a vessel
- фюзела́ж (fjuzeláž)the body or frame of a vessel
- Хъл (Hăl)city in England
Catalan clofolla, clovella
- clofollaouter covering of a fruit or seed
- clovellaouter covering of a fruit or seed
- bucthe body or frame of a vessel
Chinese Mandarin 船體 /船体, 赫爾 /赫尔
- 船體 /船体 (chuántǐ)the body or frame of a vessel
- 赫爾 /赫尔 (Hè'ěr)city in England
- 赫爾 /赫尔 (Hè'ěr)city in Quebec
Danish skrog
- skrogthe body or frame of a vessel
Dutch dop, doppen
- dopouter covering of a fruit or seed
- doppento remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- cascothe body or frame of a vessel
- scheepsrompthe body or frame of a vessel
Estonian kõder, seemnekest
- kõderouter covering of a fruit or seed
- seemnekestouter covering of a fruit or seed
Finnish kuori, kuoria
- kuoriouter covering of a fruit or seed
- kuoriato remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- runkothe body or frame of a vessel
French coque, cosse
- coqueouter covering of a fruit or seed
- cosseouter covering of a fruit or seed
- écosserto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- décortiquerto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- coquethe body or frame of a vessel
- Hullcity in Quebec
German Hülse, Schale
- Hülseouter covering of a fruit or seed
- Schaleouter covering of a fruit or seed
- Schoteouter covering of a fruit or seed
- Rumpfthe body or frame of a vessel
Greek φλοιός, φλούδα
- φλοιός (floiós)outer covering of a fruit or seed
- φλούδα (floúda)outer covering of a fruit or seed
- ξεφλουδίζω (xefloudízo)to remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- αποφλοιώνω (apofloióno)to remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- σκάφος (skáfos)the body or frame of a vessel
Hebrew גּוּף
- גּוּף (guf)the body or frame of a vessel
Hungarian héj, hüvely
- héjouter covering of a fruit or seed
- hüvelyouter covering of a fruit or seed
- hámozto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- lehámozto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- meghámozto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- fejtto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- hántolto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- foszt (maize)to remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- hajótestthe body or frame of a vessel
- testthe body or frame of a vessel
- törzsthe body or frame of a vessel
Irish crotal, scil
- crotalouter covering of a fruit or seed
- scilto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- cabhailthe body or frame of a vessel
Italian scafo
- scafothe body or frame of a vessel
Japanese 船体
- 船体 (sentai)the body or frame of a vessel
Korean 선체
- 선체 (seonche)the body or frame of a vessel
Malay sekam, lenggai
- sekamouter covering of a fruit or seed
- lenggaiouter covering of a fruit or seed
- mengulitito remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- mengopekto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- badan kapalthe body or frame of a vessel
- kungthe body or frame of a vessel
Māori pāpapa, kōwhā
- pāpapaouter covering of a fruit or seed
- kōwhāto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- tīwaithe body or frame of a vessel
- pāpāwaithe body or frame of a vessel
- tahiwithe body or frame of a vessel
- kōhiwithe body or frame of a vessel
Norwegian Bokmål skrog
- skrogthe body or frame of a vessel
Persian نیام
- نیام (niyâm)outer covering of a fruit or seed
Polish kadłub
- kadłubthe body or frame of a vessel
Portuguese casca, descascar
- cascaouter covering of a fruit or seed
- descascarto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- cascothe body or frame of a vessel
Romanian coajă, piele
- coajăouter covering of a fruit or seed
- pieleouter covering of a fruit or seed
- învelișouter covering of a fruit or seed
- păstaie (pod)outer covering of a fruit or seed
- cocăthe body or frame of a vessel
- carenăthe body or frame of a vessel
Russian шелуха́, скорлупа́
- шелуха́ (šeluxá)outer covering of a fruit or seed
- скорлупа́ (skorlupá)outer covering of a fruit or seed
- лузга́ (luzgá)outer covering of a fruit or seed
- чи́стить (čístitʹ)to remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- почи́стить (počístitʹ)to remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- одира́ть (odirátʹ)to remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- ободра́ть (obodrátʹ)to remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- лузга́ть (luzgátʹ)to remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- лущи́ть (luščítʹ)to remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- ко́рпус (kórpus)the body or frame of a vessel
- фюзеля́ж (fjuzeljáž)the body or frame of a vessel
- ку́зов (kúzov)the body or frame of a vessel
- Гулль (Gullʹ)city in England
- Халл (Xall)city in England
Scottish Gaelic cochall, slige
- cochallouter covering of a fruit or seed
- sligethe body or frame of a vessel
- plaosgthe body or frame of a vessel
- cochallthe body or frame of a vessel
Spanish hollejo, vaina
- hollejoouter covering of a fruit or seed
- vainaouter covering of a fruit or seed
- descascarillarto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- cascothe body or frame of a vessel
- vasothe body or frame of a vessel
- carcasathe body or frame of a vessel
- carroceríathe body or frame of a vessel
- corazathe body or frame of a vessel
Swedish balja, skida
- baljaouter covering of a fruit or seed
- skidaouter covering of a fruit or seed
- skalouter covering of a fruit or seed
- skalato remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- skrovthe body or frame of a vessel
Ukrainian ко́рпус
- ко́рпус (kórpus)the body or frame of a vessel
Welsh cib, plisg
- cibouter covering of a fruit or seed
- plisgouter covering of a fruit or seed
- masglouter covering of a fruit or seed
- diblisgoto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- disbeinioto remove the hull of a fruit or seed; to peel
- corff llongthe body or frame of a vessel
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with hull
All rhymes →Sounds the same
Cite this entry
hull. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hull
“hull.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hull. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hull,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hull.
Source: hull on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.