gill

noun

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

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

2. A gill slit or gill cover.

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

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. (figuratively)The flesh under or about the chin; a wattle.

   “dropsy fills you to the gills”

6. One of the combs of closely ranged steel pins which divide the ribbons of flax fiber or wool into fewer parallel filaments.
7. A drink measure for spirits and wine, approximately a quarter of a pint, but varying regionally.
8. (British, archaic)A measuring jug holding a quarter or half a pint.
9. (US, dated)A unit of measure equal to 4 US fluid ounces (half a cup, a quarter of a US pint), approximately 118 milliliters.
10. (British)A rivulet, small stream.
11. (British)A ravine.
12. A two-wheeled frame for transporting timber.
13. (alt-of, alternative)Alternative form of jill (“a female ferret”).
14. (obsolete)A promiscuous woman; harlot, wanton.
15. (obsolete)A prostitute.

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

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

verb

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

   “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.”

   “She gutted and gilled the fish, then scaled it.”

2. (transitive)To 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.”

   “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.”

   “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.”

3. (intransitive)To be or become entangled in a gillnet.

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

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

4. (obsolete)To act as a prostitute.

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

name

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.

   “each Jack with his Gill”

5. A male given name transferred from the surname, of modern usage.
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13. A surname from Punjabi from ਗਿੱਲ (gilla).