noun

gall

gawl

noun

Bold, brazen nerve; shameless audacity.

"He had the gall to ask for a raise after being late all month."

"She had the gall to blame me for her own mistake."

Bile, the bitter fluid produced by the liver.

"The old expression "bitter as gall" comes from the taste of bile."

A sore patch on the skin caused by rubbing or chafing.

"The saddle left a gall on the horse's back."

A lump or growth on a plant, often caused by an insect laying eggs inside it.

"The oak tree was covered in small round galls left by wasps."

verb

To irritate or annoy someone deeply.

"It galled him to watch his rival take the credit."

How to Use Gall

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither shameless nerve, or bile/bitterness, or a chafed sore or plant growth — context makes clear which.

Common mistake

Don't confuse the noun "gall" (nerve, or bile) with the verb "to gall" (to irritate).

Common pairings

have the gall to gall and wormwood it galls me

Word Forms

galled past tense, galled past tense, galls plural, galls plural, galls plural, Galls plural, galls singular, galls singular

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “gall” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

He had the _____ to ask for a raise after being late all month.

Etymology

From Old English geealla ("bile"). The figurative sense of "nerve" or "audacity" grew out of old medical beliefs that linked bile to bitterness and boldness of temperament.

Synonyms

View more →

nutgall

Rhymes for gall

all wall fall ball tall call hall pall mall small shall stall

See all rhymes for gall →

People Also Searched

nutgall