subs. (old, now recognised).—1. A ninny. For synonyms, see BUFFLE and CABBAGE-HEAD.
1593. DAVIES, Book of Epigrams, ‘Of a Gull.’
| A GULL is he who feares a velvet gowne, | |
| And when a wench is brave dares not speak to her; | |
| A GULL is he which traverseth the towne, | |
| And is for marriage known a common wooer; | |
| A GULL is he, which while he proudly weares | |
| A silver-hilted rapier by his side, | |
| Indures the lye and knockes about the eares, | |
| While in his sheath his sleeping sword doth bide…. | |
| But to define a GULL in termes precise— | |
| A GULL is he which seems, and is not, wise. |
1598. FLORIO, A Worlde of Wordes, passim.
1609. JONSON, The Case is Altered, iv. 3. Jun. Tut, thou art a goose to be Cupid’s GULL.
1609. SHAKESPEARE, Timon of Athens, ii. 1.
| Lord Timon will be left a naked GULL, | |
| Which flashes now a phœnix. |
1614. OVERBURY, Characters. ‘A Roaring Boy.’ He cheats young GULS that are newly come to town.
1618. ROWLANDS, The Night Raven, p. 28 [Hunterian Club’s Reprint, 1872].
| I know the houses where base cheaters vse, | |
| And note what GULLS (to worke vpon) they chuse. |
1661. A. BROME, Poems, ‘The Cure of Care.’ Those GULLS that by scraping and toiling.
1818. S. E. FERRIER, Marriage, ch. li. The poor GULL was caught, and is now, I really believe, as much in love as it is in the nature of a stupid man to be.
1850. D. JERROLD, The Catspaw, Act i. Pshaw! Some rascal that lives on simpletons and GULLS.
1892. R. L. STEVENSON and L. OSBOURNE, The Wrecker, p. 231. I was a dweller under roofs; the GULL of that which we call civilisation.
2. (old).—A cheat; a fraud; a trick.
1600. SHAKESPEARE, Much Ado about Nothing, ii. 3. I should think this a GULL, but that the white-bearded fellow speaks it.
1611. COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v.
3. (Oxford University).—A swindler; a trickster. Cf., GULL-CATCHER, of which it is probably an abbreviation.
1825. C. M. WESTMACOTT, The English Spy, v. I., p. 161. ‘You’ll excuse me, sir, but as you are fresh, take care to avoid the GULLS.’ … ‘I never understood that gulls were birds of prey,’ said I.—‘Only in Oxford, sir; and here, I assure you, they bite like hawks.’
Verb (old: now recognised).—To cheat; to dupe; to victimise; TO TAKE IN (q.v.), in any fashion and to any purpose.
1598. JONSON, Every Man in his Humour, v. 1. This is a mere trick, a device; you are GULLED in this most grossly.
1602. SHAKESPEARE, Twelfth Night, ii. 3. Mar. For Monsieur Maluolio, let me alone with him; if I do not GULL him into a nayword, and make him a common recreation, do not thinke I haue witte enough to lye straight in my bed; I know I can do it.
1607. ROWLANDS, Diogenes, his Lanthorne, p. 11 [Hunterian Club’s Reprint, 1873]. He promist me good stuffe truly, a great pennyworth indeed, and verily did GULL me.
1610. JONSON, The Alchemist, v., 2. Hast thou GULL’D her of her jewels or her bracelets?
1639. SELDEN, Table Talk, p. 98 (ARBER’S ed.). Presbyters have the greatest power of any Clergy in the world, and GULL the Laity most.
1778. Sketches for Tabernacle-Frames, p. 25, note. These fanatical Preachers frequently squeeze out Tears to GULL their Audience.
1851–61. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, I., 472. It’s generally the lower order that he GULLS.
1892. W. E. HENLEY and R. L. STEVENSON, Deacon Brodie, ix. Pay your debts, and GULL the world a little longer.
Hence GULLIBLE, adj., = easily duped.
1841. THACKERAY, Character Sketches, ‘Fashionable Authoress.’ And, gulled themselves, gull the most GULLABLE of publics.
