seagulling

English

Etymology

By surface analysis, seagull +‎ -ing.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

seagulling (uncountable)

1. (British, Australia, New Zealand, rugby slang) The practice, in Rugby Union, of forwards running in the back line rather than concentrating on their primary positional duties in open play (see rugby union positions).
   • 2002 May 25, Greig Blanchett, “Re: So. To The ABs”, in rec.sport.rugby.union‎^[1] (Usenet):

     As long as he can stay away from the seagulling in the tight games.

   • 2009 December 28, Steve Hepburn, “Rugby: Oval ball gazing for 2011 World Cup”, in Otago Daily Times:

     Jack has to cut out the seagulling and get in and do the dirty work.

   • 2011 August 29, lord shineything [username], “Re: AB Players”, in rec.sport.rugby.union‎^[2] (Usenet):

     And while Williams cut down the seagulling, he still wasn't hitting the breakdown with any vigour.

2. (boating slang) The practice of using a British Seagull outboard.

   I'm going take the boat out and do some seagulling.

   • 2000 July 6, Miniature Embroideries [username], “Re: Ancient Seagull”, in uk.rec.sailing‎^[3] (Usenet):

     Happy Seagulling.

   • 2011 September, Martine Purssell, “News From Bermuda - 2011 R. I. S. R”, in The Gull:

     The Seagull and Heineken gods were with us — what a wonderful day weather wise — an ideal Seagulling race day — winds were light — and crossing the harbour to Sandys Boat Club at 7.15am the water was glassy.

   • 2012 March, “Camden Sutherland's 'Waikato Bullet Boat'”, in The Gull:

     It isn't often young people get involved in Seagulling, never mind build their own boat to do so.

3. (chiefly New Zealand) The practice of working as a non-union casual stevedore.
   • 1995, Bryan Gould, Goodbye to All That, Macmillan, →ISBN, page 22:

     Sometimes I went down to the Wellington wharves for what was called 'seagulling', where I joined a crowd of other men just before 8 a.m., hoping to be given the nod for a day's work.

   • 1997, Phillip Knightley, A Hack's Progress, J. Cape, →ISBN, page 25:

     After two months there was a lull on the waterfront, seagulling declined, and I had to seek another job. By this time my hands were hard and I actually looked like a labourer, so the New Zealand Posts and Telegraph department took me on as a linesman.

   • 2001, Archie Green, Torching the Fink Books and Other Essays on Vernacular Culture, University of North Carolina Press, →ISBN, page 180:

     As a young shipwright, I heard old timers warn me against seagulling or bypassing the union hall while seeking work.

Verb

seagulling

1. present participle and gerund of seagull