noun

gull

GUHL

noun

A seabird, typically gray or white, common along coasts and often seen scavenging for food.

"Gulls circled the fishing boat, waiting for scraps."

A person who is easily deceived or tricked; a dupe.

"The con artist looked for gulls willing to hand over cash upfront."

verb

To deceive or trick someone.

"He was gulled into signing a contract he never read."

How to Use Gull

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA coastal bird, or (older usage) someone easily fooled, or the act of tricking them.

Common mistake

The "dupe/trick" sense is now dated — "gullible" (the adjective from the same root) is far more common in modern English.

gulled past tense, gulled past tense, gulls plural, gulls plural, gulls plural, Gulls plural, gulls singular, gulls singular

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_____ circled the fishing boat, waiting for scraps.

From Middle English gulle, from a Brythonic Celtic word for "seagull," related to Welsh gwylan.

bull dull pull full null cull lull mull hull skull scull seagull