gill

Meanings

1. A breathing organ of fish and other aquatic animals.
2. A gill slit or gill cover.
3. One of the radial folds on the underside of the cap of a mushroom, the surface of which bears the spore-producing organs.
4. The fleshy flap that hangs below the beak of a fowl; a wattle.
5. The flesh under or about the chin; a wattle.
6. One of the combs of closely ranged steel pins which divide the ribbons of flax fiber or wool into fewer parallel filaments.

1. To remove the gills from a fish as part of gutting and cleaning it.
2. To catch (a fish) in a gillnet.
3. To be or become entangled in a gillnet.

1. A drink measure for spirits and wine, approximately a quarter of a pint, but varying regionally.
2. A measuring jug holding a quarter or half a pint.
3. A unit of measure equal to 4 US fluid ounces (half a cup, a quarter of a US pint), approximately 118 milliliters.

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

1. A two-wheeled frame for transporting timber.

1. Alternative form of jill (“a female ferret”).
2. A promiscuous woman; harlot, wanton.
3. A prostitute.

1. To act as a prostitute.

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, or William, of medieval usage.
4. A diminutive of the female given name Gillian, variant of Jill.
5. A male given name transferred from the surname, of modern usage.
6. A locale in the United States:
7. An unincorporated community in Weld County, Colorado; named for early landowner William H. Gill.
8. A township in Sullivan County, Indiana.
9. A township in Clay County, Kansas.
10. A town in Franklin County, Massachusetts; named for Massachusetts politician Moses Gill.
11. An unincorporated community in Harrison County, Texas.
12. An unincorporated community in Lincoln County, West Virginia; named for an early postmaster.

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

Etymology

From Middle English gille, gylle (“gill”), of North Germanic origin, akin to Danish gælle, Swedish gäl, Norwegian gjelle, and further to Old Norse gjǫlnar (“lips”), which also may have had the meaning of "gills" (based on Old Danish fiskegæln (“gills”)). The Old Norse word has been suggested as deriving from Proto-Germanic *gelunō (“jaw”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰel-, which would make it root-cognate to Ancient Greek χελύνη (khelúnē, “lip, jaw”), χεῖλος (kheîlos, “lip”). Displaced native Old English ċīe.

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