green around the gills

noun

the respiratory organ of aquatic animals, as fish, that breathe oxygen dissolved in water.

Also called lamella. one of the radiating vertical plates on the underside of the cap of an agaric mushroom. See diag. under mushroom.

ground ivy.

verb (used with object)

to gut or clean (fish).

Idioms

to catch (fish) by the gills in a gill net.

green/white around the gills, somewhat pale, as from being sickly, nervous, or frightened: When he heard how much the bill was, he looked a little green around the gills.

to the gills, Informal. fully; completely; totally: After that big meal we were all stuffed to the gills.

Origin:
1300–50; Middle English gile < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse gjǫlnar < *gelnō; cognate with Swed gäl, Danish gælle, Norwegian gjelle gill

Related forms

gill-less, adjective

gill-like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To green around the gills

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Green around the gills is always a great word to know.

So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:

an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.

an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.

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Collins

World English Dictionary

gill¹ (ɡɪl)

—n
1.	the respiratory organ in many aquatic animals, consisting of a membrane or outgrowth well supplied with blood vessels. External gills occur in tadpoles, some molluscs, etc; internal gills, within gill slits, occur in most fishesRelated: branchial
2.	any of the radiating leaflike spore-producing structures on the undersurface of the cap of a mushroom

—vb
3.	to catch (fish) or (of fish) to be caught in a gill net
4.	(tr) to gut (fish)

Related: branchial

[C14: of Scandinavian origin; compare Swedish gäl, Danish gjælle, Greek khelunē lip]

gilled¹

—*adj*

'gill-less¹

—*adj*

'gill-like¹

—*adj*

gill² (dʒɪl)

—n
1.	a unit of liquid measure equal to one quarter of a pint
2.	dialect (Northern English) half a pint, esp of beer

[C14: from Old French gille vat, tub, from Late Latin gillō cooling vessel for liquids, of obscure origin]

gill or ghyll³ (ɡɪl)

—n
1.	a narrow stream; rivulet
2.	a wooded ravine
3.	(capital when part of place name) a deep natural hole in rock; pothole: Gaping Gill

[C11: from Old Norse gil steep-sided valley]

ghyll or ghyll³

—n

[C11: from Old Norse gil steep-sided valley]

gill⁴ (dʒɪl)

—n
1.	archaic a girl or sweetheart
2.	dialect Also spelt: jill a female ferret
3.	an archaic or dialect name for ground ivy

[C15: special use of Gill, short for Gillian, girl's name]

Gill (ɡɪl)

—n
	(Arthur) Eric (Rowton). 1882--1940, British sculptor, engraver, and typographer: his sculptures include the Stations of the Cross in Westminster Cathedral, London

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

gill

"organ of breathing in fishes," c.1300, from O.N. giolnar "gills;" O.Dan. -gæln (in fiske-gæln "fish gill").

gill

"liquid measure" (commonly a half-pint), 1275, from O.Fr. gille "a wine measure," from M.L. gillo "earthenware jar," of uncertain origin.

Gill

fem. proper name, see Jill.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage

Science Dictionary

gill

(gĭl) Pronunciation Key

(click for larger image in new window)

The organ that enables most aquatic animals to take dissolved oxygen from the water. It consists of a series of membranes that have many small blood vessels. Oxygen passes into the bloodstream and carbon dioxide passes out of it as water flows across the membranes.
One of the thin strips of tissue on the underside of the cap of many species of basidiomycete fungi. Gills produce the spore-bearing structures known as basidia.

Slang Dictionary

blue around the gills definition

and green around the gills

mod.
ill; nauseated. : How about a little air? I feel a little green around the gills.
mod.
alcohol intoxicated. : Marty—now thoroughly green around the gills—slid neatly under the table, and everyone pretended not to notice.

Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Matching Quote

"So that's why you're green around the gills. Spring comes to the bushveldt, the young bucks start butting their heads together."

-Leigh Brackett

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