Gull

Podcast 1 · Introduction

Gull

A documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun and verb

Pronunciation

gul  /ɡʌl/

Definition

As a noun: a seabird of the family Laridae with long wings, a hooked bill, and typically grey and white plumage; (archaic) a person who is easily deceived. As a verb: (archaic/literary) to deceive or trick someone.

Plain meaning

A gull is the seabird most people call a seagull — though ornithologists prefer gull. The older sense of gull as a verb means to deceive or trick someone — to be gulled is to be fooled.

Register

The bird sense is neutral and standard. The deception sense is archaic or literary — to gull someone is to use older, more formal English. Seagull is the common everyday compound but gull is preferred in ornithological and technical contexts.