gimlet
[ gim-lit ]
/ ˈgɪm lɪt /
noun
a small tool for boring holes, consisting of a shaft with a pointed screw at one end and a handle perpendicular to the shaft at the other.
a cocktail made with gin or vodka, sweetened lime juice, and sometimes soda water.
verb (used with object)
to pierce with or as if with a gimlet.
Also gim·blet
[gim-blit] /ˈgɪm blɪt/. Nautical.
to rotate (a suspended anchor) to a desired position.
adjective
able to penetrate or bore through.
Origin of gimlet
1375–1425; late Middle English < Old French
guimbelet < Germanic; compare Middle Dutch
wimmel
wimble
OTHER WORDS FROM gimlet
gim·let·y, adjectiveWords nearby gimlet
gimbals,
gimbel,
gimcrack,
gimcrackery,
gimel,
gimlet,
gimlet eye,
gimmal,
gimme,
gimme cap,
gimmick
Example sentences from the Web for gimlet
British Dictionary definitions for gimlet
gimlet
/ (ˈɡɪmlɪt) /
noun
a small hand tool consisting of a pointed spiral tip attached at right angles to a handle, used for boring small holes in wood
US
a cocktail consisting of half gin or vodka and half lime juice
a eucalyptus of W Australia having a twisted bole
verb
(tr)
to make holes in (wood) using a gimlet
adjective
penetrating; piercing (esp in the phrase gimlet-eyed)
Word Origin for gimlet
C15: from Old French
guimbelet, of Germanic origin, see
wimble