gimlet English · revision 1343

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɡɪm.lət/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) [[der|xno|guimbelet]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) perhaps [[der|dum|wimmelkijn]], a diminutive of ''wimmel'' “auger, drill”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) It is related to [[wimble]].^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A ship carpenter's boring tool (1350, as ''gymbelette'').^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The adjective sense, “piercing”, as in ''gimlet eye'', dates from 1752.^(MW Collegiate) The cocktail of gin or vodka and lime juice was named by 1927,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) apparently first by sailors,^(Etymonline) presumably from its penetrating effect, as a gimlet was used to tap casks.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1350 – a boring tool.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1752 – adjective, piercing.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1840 – verb, to pierce as with a gimlet.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1927–28 – a cocktail.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A small hand tool with a screw point and a cross handle, for boring holes.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[cocktail]] of gin or vodka with sweetened [[lime]] juice.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To pierce with or as if with a gimlet.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Sharp and penetrating, as a gaze.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gimlet-eyed]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[wimble]]

+ * [[auger]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}