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gall¹ Definition

gall (gôl)

noun

  1. bile (sense )
  2. Archaic the gallbladder
  3. something that is bitter or distasteful
  4. bitter feeling; rancor
  5. ☆ rude boldness; impudence; audacity

Etymology: ME galle < OE (Anglian) galla (WS gealla), akin to Ger galle < IE base *ĝhel-, to shine, yellow > L fel, gall, Gr cholē, bile

gall² Definition

gall (gôl)

noun

  1. a sore on the skin, esp. of a horse's back, caused by rubbing or chafing
  2. irritation or annoyance, or a cause of this

Etymology: ME galle < OE gealla < L galla: see gall

transitive verb

  1. to injure or make sore by rubbing; chafe
  2. to irritate; annoy; vex

Etymology: ME gallen < the n. (or < OFr galer, to scratch < galle < L galla)

intransitive verb

Rare to become sore from rubbing or chafing

gall³ Definition

gall (gôl)

noun

a tumor on plant tissue caused by stimulation by fungi, insects, or bacteria: galls formed on oak trees have a high tannic acid content and are used commercially

Etymology: ME galle < OFr < L galla, gallnut, orig., spherical growth < IE base *gel-, to form into a ball > clay, clot

gall Synonyms

gall

n.

  1. Spite

    cynicism, rancor, bitterness; see bitterness 2, malice.

  2. *Impudence

    effrontery, insolence, temerity, impertinence; see rudeness. See syn. study at temerity.

gall Synonyms

gall

v.

annoy, irk, irritate; see bother 2, rankle.

gall Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • bitterness: Are ye brought to the conviction of this, that ye are in the gall of bitterness?

Converse of object

  • induce: Two species of rust fungus occur on juniper, and these induce galls to form on the stems and twigs.
  • have: I am not sure quite why I had the gall to complain - well, I wasn't really, just laughing at myself!
  • cause: Instead, it is a pathogen that causes stem galls on a wide range of plants.
  • produce: It produces large fleshy galls up to 7cms in diameter on the leaves.
  • find: New galls found on oaks in the spring can be bright green but quickly become brown and very hard.
  • form: They're galls formed by the larvae of tiny wasps, which lay their eggs on oak leaves.

Adjective modifier

  • cynipid: I have used cynipid galls in ecological studies for over 13 years.

Modifies a noun

  • bladder: The gall bladder is a storage site for bile.
  • wasp: All the invading gall wasp species in the UK are also native to the same region.
  • fod: Yn olaf, gall datganiadau meincnod pwnc fod yn un o nifer o bwyntiau cyfeirio sy'n cael eu defnyddio at ddibenion adolygiad allanol.
  • midge: The main problem is fireblight, but caterpillars, aphids, gall midges, honey fungus, rust and powdery mildew may give problems.
  • mite: The leaf surface may have ' blisters ' caused by a gall -forming mite.
  • ink: Iron gall ink is probably the most important ink in Western history.

Noun used with modifier

  • crown: However, this is the first report of the crown gall on apricot trees grown in Turkey.
  • y: Nid yw hwn yn fater y gall y Blaid Lafur fod yn fodlon ag ef, ac ni all ymfalchïo ynddo ychwaith.
  • oak: One was a mixture of iron salt and oak galls, which tended to burn into the paper, and become brown with age.
  • leaf: Honey fungus and coral spot may affect the plant, but occasional leaf gall is not a major problem.
  • iron: This was also dangerous for already brittle areas of iron gall ink.
  • plant: Plant gall species reached 68 which is more than double last year.
gall Quotes

Thy rebukehath brokenmy heart;Iam full of heaviness: I looked for some to have pity on me, but there was no man, neither found I any to comfort me. They gave me gall to eat: and when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink.

—Book of Common Prayer

And Isaid,My strengthand my hope isperished fromthe L: Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

—Bible (Old Testament)

Browse dictionary entries near gall

  1. galipot
  2. galiot
  3. galingale
  4. galimatias
  5. Galileo
  6. galilee
  7. Galilean
  8. Galician
  9. Galicia
  10. Galibi
  1. gall mite
  2. gall wasp
  3. Galla
  4. gallant
  5. gallantry
  6. Gallatin
  7. Gallaudet
  8. gallbladder
  9. Galle
  10. galleass