noun

gilly

Gilly (noun) means (slang) Torpedo juice, a crude alcoholic drink historically improvised by sailors from torpedo fuel alcohol. Example: “Old navy stories describe sailors straining gilly through bread to make it drinkable.”

noun

(slang) Torpedo juice, a crude alcoholic drink historically improvised by sailors from torpedo fuel alcohol.

"Old navy stories describe sailors straining gilly through bread to make it drinkable."

How to use gilly

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA slang name for a rough, improvised alcoholic drink linked to naval folklore.

When to use it

Very niche slang, mostly found in accounts of naval history rather than everyday speech.

Word forms

Gillys plural

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “gilly” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Old navy stories describe sailors straining _____ through bread to make it drinkable.

Etymology

Borrowed from French Gilly.

Origin: French

Rhymes for gilly

silly filly billy willy tilly hilly Milly dilly Lilly Jilly chilly Reilly

See all rhymes for gilly →

Frequently asked questions

What does “gilly” mean?

The word “gilly” means (slang) Torpedo juice, a crude alcoholic drink historically improvised by sailors from torpedo fuel alcohol. In plain terms, a slang name for a rough, improvised alcoholic drink linked to naval folklore.

How do you use “gilly” in a sentence?

Here is “gilly” used in a sentence: “Old navy stories describe sailors straining gilly through bread to make it drinkable.”

What part of speech is “gilly”?

“Gilly” is a noun.

What is the meaning of gilly?

"gilly" (noun) means (slang) Torpedo juice, a crude alcoholic drink historically improvised by sailors from torpedo fuel alcohol.