gall
/ɡɔːl/ (bre, ipa) · /ɡɔːl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgȯl/ (ame, mw) · /ɡɑːl/ (ame, ipa)
gall — noun
- gallsingular
- gallsplural
1. the kind of bold rudeness someone shows when they say or do something inappropri
the kind of bold rudeness someone shows when they say or do something inappropriate without seeming to feel any shame or embarrassment about it
Owen had the gall to ask for a raise after missing three deadlines in a row.
have the gall to + verb for shameless requests
I cannot believe the gall of that man, walking into our garden and picking the tomatoes.
the gall of + noun phrase for disbelief at someone's nerve
Gabriela was speechless at the sheer gall of her neighbour, who borrowed her car without permission.
It takes real gall to lecture other parents about discipline when your own children are running wild in the shop.
文法句型
have the gall to + verb
the gall of + noun
用法筆記
Frequently follows 'the' + adjective ('the unmitigated gall', 'the sheer gall') to express the speaker's outrage. Most natural in spoken English and informal writing; distinguish from sense 4 (bitterness) which is literary and never takes 'the gall to' + verb.
常見錯誤
2. a strong feeling of bitter anger or hatred against someone or something, used ma
a strong feeling of bitter anger or hatred against someone or something, used mainly in literary or biblical writing
Years after the divorce, Maeve still spoke of her former husband with undisguised gall.
speak with gall — typical literary collocation
The defeated general's letters were full of gall toward the politicians who had abandoned him on the battlefield.
full of gall — common in older prose
Christopher felt only gall when he heard that his rival had won the literary prize for a stolen idea.
The poet wrote of love turning to gall once the early promises of marriage had been broken.
- bitterness
the everyday modern equivalent
- rancour
formal; long-held bitterness
- resentment
neutral register; widely usable
文法句型
the gall of + noun
wormwood and gall
用法筆記
Mostly literary or biblical (compare 'wormwood and gall'). Subject is usually a wronged or defeated person; modern speakers prefer 'bitterness' or 'resentment'. Distinguish from sense 1 (rude boldness): sense 2 is an inner emotion, never said of someone's behaviour.
常見錯誤
3. a hard round growth that appears on a plant's leaves, stems, or roots after an i
a hard round growth that appears on a plant's leaves, stems, or roots after an insect, fungus, or injury has damaged the tissue
Tamar pointed to the strange round galls hanging from the lower branches of the oak tree.
galls on + tree part — typical botanical use
The biology students collected dozens of galls from the rose bushes for their classroom project.
Wasps lay their eggs inside a leaf and the plant grows a gall around them as a defence.
Niran sliced one of the galls open and found a tiny white larva curled up inside.
文法句型
a gall on + plant part
form a gall
用法筆記
Specialist botanical term; usually countable ('a gall', 'several galls'). Common modifying nouns: oak gall, leaf gall, root gall, gall wasp. Distinguish from sense 5 (skin sore on an animal) — same word, different surface.
4. a green-brown liquid with a sharp bitter taste that the liver produces to break
a green-brown liquid with a sharp bitter taste that the liver produces to break down fats during digestion
After vomiting for hours on the flight, Soraya could taste only gall at the back of her throat.
taste of gall — sensory description
The medical illustration showed gall flowing from the liver into the small intestine.
Old recipes for gunpowder sometimes called for oak galls and a small amount of animal gall.
Ishaan learned that the bitter green liquid coming up was gall, produced by his liver.
- bile
the standard modern term in biology and medicine
文法句型
taste of gall
gall bladder
用法筆記
Older or literary word for what is now usually called 'bile'. Mostly appears in 'gall bladder' (the small organ that stores it) and in older medical or culinary writing. Sense 2 (bitterness) probably grew out of this physical meaning.
5. a painful raw spot on the skin of a working animal — usually a horse whose saddl
a painful raw spot on the skin of a working animal — usually a horse whose saddle or harness has been rubbing the same place for too long
Selim noticed a fresh gall on the mare's back where the new saddle had been pressing.
a gall on + body part — typical equestrian use
The riding instructor warned the children to check their ponies for galls before every lesson.
Decades of poor harnesses had left ugly galls along the donkey's shoulders.
Mira cleaned the gall on the racehorse's withers and applied a soft cotton pad before re-saddling.
- sore
everyday word; broader
- saddle sore
more specific; same idea on a horse
文法句型
a gall on + body part
用法筆記
Specialist equestrian / veterinary term, usually countable. Distinguish from sense 3 (plant swelling): both are visible bumps, but sense 5 is an open or raw sore on an animal caused by friction, while sense 3 is a hard round growth on a plant caused by insects or fungi.
gall — verb
- gallpresent simple I / you / we / they
- galls3rd person singular
- galling-ing form
- galledpast simple
1. to leave someone feeling angry or resentful, especially because of something tha
to leave someone feeling angry or resentful, especially because of something that strikes them as unfair or undeserved
It galled Nila that her younger brother was promoted ahead of her at the family bakery.
it galls X that — typical that-clause pattern
What galled Defne most was the polite smile on her landlord's face as he raised the rent.
what galls X most — focus structure
It galls Mauricio to admit that his old rival was right about the project after all.
The judge's smug tone galled every lawyer in the courtroom that afternoon.
文法句型
it galls someone (that)
it galls someone to + verb
用法筆記
Frequently appears with dummy 'it' as subject: 'it galls me that…', 'it galls me to admit…'. The cause of the annoyance is something the speaker feels is unjust or undeserved — stronger than 'annoy', less aggressive than 'enrage'.
常見錯誤
2. to wear away or damage skin by repeated rubbing, or for skin to become raw and p
to wear away or damage skin by repeated rubbing, or for skin to become raw and painful in this way
Léa's new hiking boots galled her heels by the end of the third afternoon on the trail.
X galls Y — transitive use with footwear subject
The heavy oars had galled the rower's palms until small blisters formed.
Adina's wrists galled where the rope had tied her to the chair for so many hours.
If the harness sits even slightly wrong, the leather will gall the horse's shoulders within a day.
文法句型
X galls Y
Y galls (against Z)
用法筆記
Specialist or older usage; modern speakers usually say 'chafe' or 'rub raw'. Transitive subject is the object doing the rubbing (boots, rope, harness); intransitive subject is the body part that becomes sore. Closely linked to noun sense 5 (skin sore on an animal).