seagull

See also: Seagull, sea-gull, and sea gull

English

A seagull

Alternative forms

• sea gull, sea-gull

Etymology

From sea +‎ gull. The second element is from a Brythonic language. Compare Welsh gwylan, Breton gouelan.

Pronunciation

• (General American, Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsiː.ɡʌl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (General Australian):

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Noun

seagull (plural seagulls)

2. Any of several white, often dark-backed birds of the family Laridae having long, pointed wings and short legs.
   • 2024 November 13, Paul Bigland, “Much to admire... but pockets of neglect”, in RAIL, number 1022, page 49:

     And while there are plenty of benches, there's little shelter from the wind (or predatory seagulls the size of dogs) out on the platforms.

3. (orthography) The symbol ̼, which combines under a letter as a sort of accent.
4. (UK, slang) A fan or member of Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club.

Synonyms

• (bird): mew, gull, seamew

Derived terms

• seagulling

 

Compound words and expressions

• seagull approach
• seagull intersection
• seagull manager

 

Translations

bird of the family Laridae — see gull

symbol ̼

Verb

seagull (third-person singular simple present seagulls, present participle seagulling, simple past and past participle seagulled)

1. (British, Australia, New Zealand, rugby slang, of a forward) To run in the back line rather than concentrate on primary positional duties in open play.
   • 2002 September 24, Greig Blanchett, “Re: The Immorality of the Drop Goal”, in rec.sport.rugby.union‎^[1] (Usenet):

     […] and when you need cover for the fullback because of the bombs raining down, when the walking maul requires every forward to quit seagulling and actually do some hard graft, then the rest of the game opens up.

   • 2002 December 13, “Sharks beached at Stradey”, in BBC Sport:

     On hand was seagulling number eight Dave Hodges to cross for the all-important try.

   • 2003 November 2, Greg Growden, “Australia survives scare”, in The Age:

     That occurred in the 12th minute when flanker George Smith, seagulling out wide, enjoyed the rewards of a two-man overlap to score.

   • 2003 November 10, Mark Fuller, “Impeccable France outclasses Ireland”, in The Age:

     France was full of running and continued to spread the ball wide or kick in behind the defence, where towering right-winger Aurelien Rougerie and the seagulling French back row had a height advantage contesting the high ball.

   • 2011 September 24, Darren Walton, “Injuries sour Wallabies 67-5 win over USA”, in MSN NZ:

     Samo seagulled for Australia's final try two minutes from time.

2. (boating slang) To use a British Seagull outboard.
   • 2007 December 19, Douglas Eagleson, “Re: british seagull info request”, in rec.boats.cruising‎^[2] (Usenet):

     It should be considered a style of outboarding I believe. Seagulling arround^[sic] and all.

3. (New Zealand) To work as a non-union casual stevedore.
   • 1964, O. E. Middleton, A Walk on the Beach, M. Joseph, page 215:

     Bill had been seagulling on the wharf since he got back from the war.

   • 1981, Parliamentary Debates, volume 437, page 374:

     At that time many of them seagulled on the Mt Maunganui wharf to make a crust in order to carry on with their ideal of kiwifruit as a major exporting industry.

   • 1993, Beryl Fletcher, The Iron Mouth, Spinifex Press, published 1993, →ISBN, page 60:

     The only stories he told of his life were of how hard he had worked, seagulling on the wharf, standing in blood and guts at the Works, loading trucks with sacks of fertiliser and grain at the Farmers' Co-op.

Anagrams

• sullage, ullages