gully

English

Alternative forms

• gulley (Etymology 1)

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈɡʌli/
• Rhymes: -ʌli

Etymology 1

Probably related to Middle English golet "ravine, throat," French goulet, Latin gula "throat".

Noun

Wikipedia gully (plural gullies)

1. A trench, ravine or narrow channel which was worn by water flow, especially on a hillside.
2. A small valley.
3. (UK) A drop kerb.
4. A road drain.
5. (cricket) A fielding position on the off side about 30 degrees behind square, between the slips and point; a fielder in such a position
6. (UK) A grooved iron rail or tram plate.

Translations

a trench, ravine or narrow channel which was worn by water flow, especially on a hillside

• Italian: calanco (it) m
• Russian: ложбина (ru) (ložbína) f, промоина (ru) (promóina) f, буерак (ru) (bujerák) m, рытвина (ru) (rýtvina) f, вымоина (ru) (výmoina) f

Related terms

• gullet

Verb

gully (third-person singular simple present gullies, present participle gullying, simple past and past participle gullied)

1. (obsolete) To flow noisily.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Johnson to this entry?)

2. (transitive) To wear away into a gully or gullies.

Etymology 2

Scots gully, of unknown origin.

Noun

gully (plural gullies)

1. (Scotland, northern UK) A large knife.
   • 1883, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, page 139:

     With that I made my mind up, took out my gully, opened it with my teeth, and cut one strand after another...

References

Gullies And Other Knives

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Scots

Etymology

Origin unknown.

Noun

gully (plural gullies)

1. large knife

   • God than he lewch and owre the dyk lap, / And owt of his scheith his gully owtgatt. (The Bannatyne Manuscript)