different between gunsel vs gunnel

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /???ns?l/

Etymology 1

From Yiddish ??????? (gendzl, “gosling”), from Middle High German gensel, diminutive of gans (“goose”).

Noun

gunsel (plural gunsels)

1. (slang, dated) Synonym of catamite: a young man kept by an elder as a (usually passive) homosexual partner.
   • 1929, Dashiell Hammett, The Maltese Falcon, [p. http://books.google.com/books?id=1uVajyyVaVkC&pg=RA1-PA13 13]:

     The boy’s eyes […] ran over Spade’s body from shoulders to knees […]
     “Another thing,” Spade repeated, glaring at the boy: “Keep that gunsel away from me while you’re making up your mind. I’ll kill him […] ”

2. (slang, dated) Synonym of bottom: a passive partner in a male homosexual relationship.
3. (prison slang, dated) Synonym of bitch: a man forced or coerced into a homosexual relationship.

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:male homosexual

Etymology 2

By misunderstanding of the 1929 Maltese Falcon quotation above (which survived in a popular 1941 film adaptation). The novel was originally serialized in a magazine, Black Mask, whose editor refused to allow vulgarities. Hammett used the word gunsel knowing that the editor would likely misunderstand it as relating to gun, and therefore allow it.

Noun

gunsel (plural gunsels)

1. A gun-carrying hoodlum or other criminal.

References

See also

• gunzel

Anagrams

• Leungs, lunges

English

Etymology

From Middle English gonnewalle, itself from gonne (“gun”) + wale, as it used to support the ship's guns; equivalent to gun +? wale.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /???n?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /???nl/
• Rhymes: -?n?l

Noun

gunnel (plural gunnels)

1. Alternative spelling of gunwale
2. A small eel-shaped marine fish of the family Pholidae, especially Pholis gunnellus.

Synonyms

• (eel-shaped fish): gunnel fish, butterfish, rock eel

Derived terms

• to the gunnels

Translations