What does "gully" mean?
A trench, ravine or narrow channel which was worn by water flow, especially on a hillside.
Gully
/ˈɡʌli/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A trench, ravine or narrow channel which was worn by water flow, especially on a hillside.
- Grammar: gully is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abysm, abyss, alley, aqueduct.
- Useful contrasts: high ground, plain, plateau.
- Usage evidence: The gully had more plants than the rest of the desert because it occasionally filled with rain.
How to use "gully"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "gully" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "gully" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "gully" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "gully" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "gully" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abysm" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "gully", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A trench, ravine or narrow channel which was worn by water flow, especially on a hillside.
- 2 A large knife. Northern, Scotland, UK
"With that I made my mind up, took out my gully, opened it with my teeth, and cut one strand after another[…]"
- 3 deep ditch cut by running water (especially after a prolonged downpour) wordnet
- 4 A small valley.
- 5 A drop kerb. UK
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 A road drain.
"A new drainage run and rainwater gullies are to be installed between the station and Oxford Road, with completion planned for December 1."
- 7 A fielding position on the off side about 30 degrees behind square, between the slips and point; a fielder in such a position
- 8 A grooved iron rail or tram plate. UK
Verb
- 1 To flow noisily. obsolete
- 2 To wear away into a gully or gullies. transitive
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
Example
"The gully had more plants than the rest of the desert because it occasionally filled with rain."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "gully"?
Common synonyms include: abysm, abyss, alley, aqueduct, arroyo, arroyos.
How do you use "gully" in a sentence?
The gully had more plants than the rest of the desert because it occasionally filled with rain.
How do you pronounce "gully"?
Pronounced /ˈɡʌli/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Origin uncertain. Possibly from a variant of Middle English golet (“esophagus, gullet”), from Old French goulet, from Latin gula (“throat”). Shift in meaning in Middle English to "water channel, ravine" may have been influenced by Middle English gylle, gille, galle (“deep narrow valley, ravine”); see gill. Compare Dutch geul. Alternatively, from a diminutive of dialectal gull (“fissue, chasm”) + -y (diminutive suffix). See gull, gullick.
Etymology 2
From Scots gully, of unknown origin.