Gill (?), n. [Abbrev. from Gillian.]
1. A young
woman; a sweetheart; a flirting or wanton girl. "Each Jack with his
Gill." B.
Jonson.
2. (Bot.)
The ground ivy (Nepeta Glechoma); --
called also gill over the ground, and other like names.
3. Malt liquor medicated with ground ivy.
Gill ale. (a) Ale flavored with ground ivy. (b) (Bot.) Alehoof.
Gill (?), n. [OF. gille, gelle, a sort of measure for wine, LL. gillo, gello., Cf. Gallon.]
A measure of capacity, containing one fourth of a pint.
Gill , n. [Icel.
gil.]
A woody glen; a narrow valley containing a stream. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
Gill , n. A leech. [Also gell.]
[Scot.]
Jameison.
Gill , n. [Etymol. uncertain.]
A two-wheeled frame for transporting timber. [Prov. Eng.]
Gill (?), n. [Dan. giælle,
gelle; akin to Sw. gäl, Icel. gjölnar
gills; cf. AS. geagl, geahl, jaw.]
1. (Anat.) An organ for
aquatic respiration;
a branchia.
Fishes perform respiration under water by the
gills.
Ray. &fist; Gills are usually lamellar or filamentous appendages, through which the blood circulates, and in which
it is exposed to the action
of the air
contained in the water. In vertebrates they are appendages of the visceral arches on either side of the neck. In invertebrates they occupy various situations.
2.
pl. (Bot.) The
radiating, gill-shaped plates forming the under surface of a mushroom.
3.
(Zoöl.) The fleshy flap that hangs below the beak of a fowl; a wattle.
4. The flesh under or about the chin. Swift.
5. (Spinning) One of the combs
of closely ranged steel pins which divide the ribbons of flax fiber
or wool into fewer parallel
filaments. [Prob. so called from F. aiguilles, needles.
Ure.]
Gill arches, Gill bars.
(Anat.) Same as Branchial arches.
-- Gill clefts. (Anat.) Same as Branchial clefts. See under Branchial.
-- Gill cover, Gill lid. See Operculum. --
Gill frame, or Gill head (Flax Manuf.),
a spreader; a machine for
subjecting flax to the action of
gills. Knight. -- Gill net, a flat net so suspended in the water that its meshes allow the heads of fish to pass, but catch in the
gills when they seek to extricate themselves. -- Gill
opening, or Gill slit (Anat.),
an opening behind and below the head of most
fishes, and some amphibians, by which the
water from the gills is discharged. In most fishes there is a single opening on each side,
but in the
sharks and rays there are five, or more, on each
side. -- Gill
rakes, or Gill rakers
(Anat.), horny filaments, or progresses, on the inside of
the branchial arches of fishes, which help to
prevent solid substances from being carried into gill cavities.
Hear it pronounced