gill

plural gills

1. biologyA breathing organ of fish and other aquatic animals.

   Fishes […] perform their respiration under water by the gills.

   1691, John Ray, The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation. […], London: […] Samuel Smith, […], →OCLC

2. A gill slit or gill cover.

   Gill nets are designed to catch a fish by the gills.

3. biologyOne of the radial folds on the underside of the cap of a mushroom, the surface of which bears the spore-producing organs.

   Synonyms: lamella

4. animal anatomyThe fleshy flap that hangs below the beak of a fowl; a wattle.
5. figurativelyThe flesh under or about the chin; a wattle.

   dropsy fills you to the gills

   1728, Jonathan Swift, Ballad on Ballyspellin

6. hobbiesOne of the combs of closely ranged steel pins which divide the ribbons of flax fiber or wool into fewer parallel filaments.

present singular third person gills · participle present gilling · participle past gilled · past gilled

1. To remove the gills from a fish as part of gutting and cleaning it.

   She gutted and gilled the fish, then scaled it.

   2014, Scott Tippett, Polaris, →ISBN, page 99

   1 more example

   As we had fish home in the icebox, when Bill led the fish up alongside, I leaned over the combing, gilled the fish with my fingers, slid out the hook and let go. The bass lay there for a moment, tired from the arch of the rod and the pull of the line.

   1948, Oliver Hazard Perry Rodman, The Saltwater Fisherman's Favorite Four, page 166

2. transitiveTo catch (a fish) in a gillnet.

   Owing to the peculiar shape of the pompano and the relatively large mesh in the pompano gill nets, the fish are not caught by being actually gilled.

   1898, Report of the Commissioner of Fisheries to the Secretary of Commerce and Labor, page 255

   2 more examples

   In cases of very heavy catches the nets may be hauled and stored with the fish still gilled. The fish would then be shaken out on return to the port.

   1971, Michael Culley, G. A. Kerkut, The Pilchard: Biology and Exploitation →ISBN, page 70

   The intention is to gill the fish, so they are usually scared into the net by rowing one boat into the middle of the net circle and banging the oars on the boat bottom or splashing the water.

   1994, G.D. Pickett, M.G. Pawson, Sea Bass: Biology, →ISBN, page 177

3. intransitiveTo be or become entangled in a gillnet.

   Also, when fish gilled there wasn't as much extra twine to tangle in, so they were easier to release from the net.

   2010, Edward A. Perrine, Midnight Tracy, →ISBN, page 147

   1 more example

   Since the fine threads of the net usually are caught under the gill covers of the fish they are said to be "gilled."

   1926, Walter Koelz, Fishing industry of the Great Lakes, page 556

plural gills

1. Any of several units of volume, most of which are a quarter of a pint or near to that amount.
   1. A drink measure for spirits and wine, a quarter of an imperial pint or near to that amount, but varying regionally.
   2. USdatedA unit of measure equal to 4 US fluid ounces (half a cup, a quarter of a US pint), approximately 118 milliliters.
2. UKarchaicA measuring jug holding a quarter or half a pint.

plural gills · alternative ghyll

1. UKA rivulet, small stream.
2. UKA ravine.

plural gills

1. A two-wheeled frame for transporting timber.

plural gills

1. alternativeAlternative form of jill (“a female ferret”).
2. obsoleteA promiscuous woman; harlot, wanton.

   Synonyms: promiscuous woman

3. obsoleteA prostitute.

   Gill comes from the Knight, that did so seek / To gaine her love; she's hir'd for a week.

   1646, Humphrey Mill, “Section XXI”, in The Nights Search, Part 2, page 129

   Synonyms: prostitute

4. obsoletegill-over-the-ground: ground ivy.
5. obsoletegill-ale: an ale made with ground ivy among its ingredients.

present singular third person gills · participle present gilling · participle past gilled · past gilled

1. obsoleteTo act as a prostitute.

   Comme proprement le fine of my Designs dey make; / Dam gilling Whore / Et Louis d'or

   1719, Henry Playford, “Lewis Upon the Fret”, in Wit and Mirth: Or, Pills to Purge Melancholy, page 72

   Synonyms: prostitute oneself

1. A Scottish and Northern English habitational surname from Old Norse for someone who lived near a gill.
2. A Scottish and Irish surname from Scottish Gaelic [in turn originating as a patronymic], an alternate anglicization of Mac an Ghoill (McGill).
3. A diminutive of the male given names Giles, Julian, and William, of medieval usage.
4. A diminutive of the female given name Gillian, variant of Jill.

   each Jack with his Gill

   1621 August 13 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), Ben Jonson, “The Masque of the Gypsies”, in Q. Horatius Flaccus: His Art of Poetry. […], London: […] J[ohn] Okes, for John Benson […], published 1640, →OCLC

5. A male given name transferred from the surname, of modern usage.
6. A locale in the United States:
   1. An unincorporated community in Weld County, Colorado; named for early landowner William H. Gill.
   2. A township in Sullivan County, Indiana.
   3. A township in Clay County, Kansas.
   4. A town in Franklin County, Massachusetts; named for Massachusetts politician Moses Gill.
   5. An unincorporated community in Harrison County, Texas.
   6. An unincorporated community in Lincoln County, West Virginia; named for an early postmaster.
   7. A ghost town in Harding County, South Dakota; named for early postmaster Carl M. Gilberg.
7. A surname from Punjabi from ਗਿੱਲ (gilla).

plural Gills

1. ball gamesSomeone connected with Gillingham Football Club, as a fan, player, coach etc.