gull

Everyday

1. A large grey and white seabird with long wings and a loud cry, often seen at beaches and harbours; also called a seagull. tree →
2. (old-fashioned verb) To trick or fool someone. tree →

In the lessons

In science: gulls eat fish, insects and scraps; they live near the sea but also inland. At the beach: don't feed gulls, keep food covered — they can snatch chips! In old stories «gullible» (easy to trick) comes from the old verb. Phrases: «seagull», «herring gull».

Examples

• A gull stole my chips at the beach! tree →
• The gulls cried loudly over the harbour. tree →
• We watched gulls following the fishing boat. tree →
• Gulls have webbed feet for swimming. tree →
• Please don't feed the gulls. tree →
• A gull was standing on one leg on the rooftop. tree →
• Kotick swam back to Novastoshnah, leaving the gulls to scream. tree →

Note

Countable. «Seagull» is the everyday word; birdwatchers say «gull» because many live inland. Related word: gullible (easily fooled). Do not confuse with «gully» (a narrow channel).