1876. Trevelyan, Life of Macaulay (1884), ch. ii., p. 61. When the Tripos of 1822 made its appearance, his name did not grace the list. In short . . . Macaulay was gulfed.
1852. Bristed, Five Years in an English University, p. 297. I discovered that my name was nowhere to be found—that I was gulfed.
Gulf-spin, subs. (American cadet).—A
rascal; a worthless fellow;
a beat (q.v.) a shyster (q.v.).
Gull, subs. (old, now recognised).—1.
A ninny. For synonyms,
see Buffle and Cabbage-head.
1596. Sir J. Davies, Book of Epigrams. 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 World of Wordes, passim.
1609. Jonson, Case is Altered, iv., 3. Jun. Tut, thou art a goose to be Cupid's gull.
1609. Shakspeare, Timon of Athens. 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, Night Raven, p. 28 (H. C. Rept., 1872). I know the houses where base cheaters vse, And note what gulls (to worke vpon) they chuse.
1661. 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. Shakspeare, Much Ado about Nothing, ii., 3. I should think this a gull, but that the white-bearded fellow speaks it.
1611. Cotgrave, Dictionarie, q.v.
3. (Oxford Univ.).—A swindler; a trickster. Cf., Gull-catcher, of which it is probably an abbreviation.
1825. 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.
1596. Jonson. Every Man in his Humour, v. This is a mere trick, a device, you are gulled in this most grossly.
1602. Shakspeare, 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 (H. C. Rept. 1873). He promist me good stuffe truly, a great pennyworth indeed, and verily did gull me.
1610. Jonson, Alchemist, v., 2. Hast thou gulled 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 fanatica Preachers frequently squeeze out Tears to gull their Audience.
