gillotine.html - See: FED TO THE GILLS at FED UP, GREEN AROUND THE GILLS or PALE AROUND THE GILLS.

gillotine.html - n. & v.
--n.

(usu. in pl.)
1 the respiratory organ in fishes and other aquatic animals.
2 the vertical radial plates on the underside of mushrooms and other fungi.
3 the flesh below a person's jaws and ears (green about the gills).
4 the wattles or dewlap of fowls.

--v.

tr.
1 gut (a fish).
2 cut off the gills of (a mushroom).
3 catch in a gill-net.

gill-cover a bony case protecting a fish's gills; an operculum. gill-net a net for entangling fishes by the gills.

gilled adj. (also in comb.). [ME f. ON gil (unrecorded) f. Gmc]

gillotine.html - n.
1 a unit of liquid measure, equal to a quarter of a pint.
2 Brit. dial. half a pint. [ME f. OF gille, med.L gillo f. LL gello, gillo water-pot]

gillotine.html - n.
(also ghyll) Brit.
1 a deep usu. wooded ravine.
2 a narrow mountain torrent. [ME f. ON gil glen]

gillotine.html - n.
(also Gill, jill, Jill)
1 derog. a young woman.
2 colloq. or dial. a female ferret. [ME, abbr. of Gillian f. OF Juliane f. L Juliana (Julius)]

gillotine.html - n.
(also ghillie) Sc.
1 a man or boy attending a person hunting or fishing.
2 hist. a Highland chief's attendant. [Gael. gille lad, servant]