5. (Spinning) One of the combs of closely ranged steel pins which
divide the ribbons of flax fiber or wool into fewer parallel filaments.
[Prob. so called from F. aiguilles, needles. Ure.]
Gill arches, Gill bars. (Anat.) Same as Branchial arches. -- Gill
clefts. (Anat.) Same as Branchial clefts. See under Branchial. -- Gill
cover, Gill lid. See Operculum. -- Gill frame, or Gill head (Flax
Manuf.), a spreader; a machine for subjecting flax to the action of
gills. Knight. -- Gill net, a flat net so suspended in the water that
its meshes allow the heads of fish to pass, but catch in the gills when
they seek to extricate themselves. -- Gill opening, or Gill slit
(Anat.), an opening behind and below the head of most fishes, and some
amphibians, by which the water from the gills is discharged. In most
fishes there is a single opening on each side, but in the sharks and
rays there are five, or more, on each side. -- Gill rakes, or Gill
rakers (Anat.), horny filaments, or progresses, on the inside of the
branchial arches of fishes, which help to prevent solid substances from
being carried into gill cavities.
Gill, n. [Etymol. uncertain.] A two-wheeled frame for transporting
timber. [Prov. Eng.]
Gill, n. A leech. [Also gell.] [Scot.] Jameison.
Gill, n. [Icel. gil.] A woody glen; a narrow valley containing a
stream. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
Gill (?), n. [OF. gille, gelle, a sort of measure for wine, LL. gillo,
gello., Cf. Gallon.] A measure of capacity, containing one fourth of a
pint.
Gill (?), n. [Abbrev. from Gillian.] 1. A young woman; a sweetheart; a
flirting or wanton girl. "Each Jack with his Gill." B. Jonson.
2. (Bot.) The ground ivy (Nepeta Glechoma); -- called also gill over
the ground, and other like names.