gall
gb/ɡˈɔl/ us/ɡˈɔl/
B2
English
pofátlanság, szemtelenség, bosszant, bánt, epe, feltörés, kidörzsöl, feltör, gubacs, epésség
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
1
pofátlanság
B2
szemtelenség
B2
Usage pattern:
(the) gall (to do [something])
He had the gall to complain about the service after arriving an hour late.
Volt pofája panaszkodni a kiszolgálás miatt, miután egy órát késett.
The gall of that man—he cut in line and acted like it was normal.
Micsoda pofátlanság attól a férfitól: befurakodott a sorba, és úgy tett, mintha ez teljesen normális lenne.
I can’t believe the gall it takes to ask for money after what happened.
Learner examples
She had the gall to lie to me.
Volt pofája hazudni nekem.
That takes a lot of gall.
Ehhez aztán nagy pofátlanság kell.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the medical meaning (bile). In this sense, it usually appears as 'the gall' or 'have the gall'.
Meaning
rude boldness; nerve
Collocations
the sheer gall
|have the gall
|the gall to say
|the gall to ask
|what a gall
|the nerve
|unbelievable gall
Synonyms
nerve (Very common and casual.)
|
audacity (Slightly more formal.)
|
cheek (Common in British English.)
Antonyms
humility (Lack of arrogance or bold rudeness.)
|
modesty (Not pushing yourself forward.)
Themes
emotions
|social_interaction
Definition
When someone has the gall, they are rude and too confident.
Rude or shocking boldness in what someone says or does; impudent audacity.
VERB
C1
2
Usage pattern:
It galls [someone] (that [clause])
It galls me that she took credit for my work.
Bosszant, hogy a sajátjának tüntette fel a munkámat.
It galled him to be treated like a beginner.
Bántotta, hogy úgy bántak vele, mintha kezdő lenne.
What galls me most is that they never apologized.
Learner examples
It galls me when people are rude.
Bosszant, amikor az emberek udvariatlanok.
Common mistake:
This verb is often used with 'it' as the subject: 'It galls me that...'.
Meaning
make someone feel angry
Collocations
it galls me
|galls him to
|galls her that
|galls them deeply
|galls someone to think
Synonyms
annoy (More general and common.)
|
irritate (Often suggests repeated or strong annoyance.)
|
offend (Focuses on feeling insulted.)
Antonyms
please (To give satisfaction rather than anger.)
|
delight (Stronger positive feeling.)
Themes
emotions
|conflict
Definition
If something galls you, it makes you angry or upset.
To annoy, offend, or upset someone, especially because something seems unfair or insulting.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
3
epe
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] produces gall
The liver produces gall to help break down fats.
A máj epét termel, amely segít lebontani a zsírokat.
Problems with gall flow can affect digestion.
Az epeáramlás zavarai befolyásolhatják az emésztést.
Learner examples
The gall helps the body digest food.
Az epe segít a szervezetnek megemészteni az ételt.
Common mistake:
Often confused with 'gallbladder' (the organ) and 'gallstone' (a hard stone).
Meaning
bitter digestive fluid
Collocations
bile and gall
|secrete gall
|gall secretion
|gall salts
Synonyms
bile (The more common everyday term.)
Themes
health
|body
|medicine
Definition
Gall is a bitter liquid in the body that helps digest food.
A bitter fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, used in digestion.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
4
feltörés
B2
Usage pattern:
a gall on [body_part]
The saddle left a painful gall on the horse’s back.
A nyereg fájdalmas feltörést okozott a ló hátán.
After the long hike, he had a gall on his heel where his boot rubbed.
A hosszú túra után kidörzsölődött a sarka ott, ahol a csizma dörzsölte.
Learner examples
My shoes gave me a gall on my foot.
A cipőm feltörte a lábamat.
Common mistake:
This is not the same as a blister, though they can look similar; a gall is linked to chafing/rubbing.
Meaning
sore spot from rubbing
Collocations
saddle gall
|a gall on the heel
|a gall on the neck
|rubbed into a gall
Synonyms
chafing sore (Explains the cause directly.)
|
raw spot (More general and less technical.)
Themes
health
|daily_life
|sports
Definition
A gall is a sore on the skin caused by rubbing.
A sore place on the skin caused by rubbing, especially from clothing, a saddle, or repeated friction.
VERB
C1
5
Usage pattern:
[something] galls [someone]'s [body_part]
The seam galled her skin all day.
A varrás egész nap kidörzsölte a bőrét.
His backpack straps galled his shoulders on the climb.
A mászás közben a hátizsák pántjai kidörzsölték a vállát.
Learner examples
These socks gall my ankle.
Ezek a zoknik kidörzsölik a bokámat.
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse this physical meaning with 'It galls me' (= it annoys me). Context usually makes it clear.
Meaning
rub and make skin sore
Collocations
shoes gall my feet
|a collar galled his neck
|gall the skin
|galls badly
Synonyms
chafe (More common for skin rubbing.)
|
rub raw (More informal and descriptive.)
Antonyms
soothe (To reduce pain or irritation instead of causing it.)
Themes
health
|daily_life
Definition
If something galls you, it rubs your skin and makes it sore.
To rub against the skin repeatedly and cause soreness.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
6
gubacs
C1
Usage pattern:
a gall on [plant]
The oak leaves were covered in small, round galls.
A tölgy leveleit apró, kerek gubacsok borították.
Scientists studied the insect that causes the gall to form.
A tudósok azt a rovart vizsgálták, amely a gubacs kialakulását okozza.
Learner examples
I saw galls on the leaves.
Gubacsokat láttam a leveleken.
Common mistake:
This meaning is unrelated to 'the gall' (= nerve).
Meaning
swelling on a plant
Collocations
oak gall
|leaf gall
|insect gall
|gall formation
|galls on leaves
Synonyms
plant swelling (Plain descriptive wording.)
Themes
nature
|plants
|science
Definition
A gall is a lump that grows on a plant, often because of an insect.
An abnormal swelling or growth on a plant, often caused by an insect or other parasite.
NOUN
C2
LITERARY
7
epésség
C1
Usage pattern:
filled with gall; speak with gall
His letter was full of gall and accusation.
Levele tele volt epésséggel és vádaskodással.
She spoke with gall about the people who had betrayed her.
Epésséggel beszélt azokról, akik elárulták.
Common mistake:
This is much less common in everyday speech than 'anger' or 'resentment'.
Meaning
bitter resentment
Collocations
filled with gall
|pour out gall
|speak with gall
|bitter gall
Synonyms
resentment (More common in modern English.)
|
bitterness (Focuses on a harsh, lasting feeling.)
Antonyms
goodwill (A friendly, kind attitude rather than bitterness.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
Definition
Gall can mean bitter anger or resentment.
A feeling of bitter anger or resentment, especially when expressed in speech or writing.
Grammar
Dictionary form
gall
IPA
GB/ɡˈɔl/
US/ɡˈɔl/
Syllables & stress
gall (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (gall)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: gall
- Plural: gall, galls
Verb
- Base: gall
- 3rd Person Singular: galls
- Present Participle: galling
- Past: galled
Word family
Forms
galls
noun
galling
verb
galled
verb
Related words
gallbladder
noun
gallstone
noun C1
Expressions
gall and wormwood
1/ɡˈɔl ˈænd wˈɚmwˌʊd/
fixed phrase
literary
extreme bitterness or misery
Something that feels very bitter and painful.
Examples
- The memory of that defeat was gall and wormwood to him.
- For her, the whole episode was gall and wormwood.
gall bladder
1/ɡˈɔl blˈædɚ/
fixed phrase
technical
organ that stores bile
The gall bladder is a small organ that stores bile.
Examples
- She had surgery to remove her gall bladder.
- The gall bladder releases bile after you eat fatty food.
Learner examples
- The doctor checked my gall bladder.
gallstone
1/ɡˈɔlstˌoʊn/
fixed phrase
technical
hard stone in gallbladder
A gallstone is a small hard stone that forms in the gallbladder.
Examples
- He went to the hospital with severe pain caused by a gallstone.
- An ultrasound showed several gallstones.
have the gall (to do something)
1/hˈæv ðə ɡˈɔl tə dˈu sˈʌmθɪŋ/
idiom
informal
be rude enough to do
To do something even though it is very rude.
Examples
- She had the gall to tell me to calm down after she started the argument.
- He has the gall to call himself a team player.
- They had the gall to raise prices while cutting service.
Learner examples
- He had the gall to blame me.
the gall of it!
1/ðə ɡˈɔl əv ˈɪt ‖/
fixed phrase
informal
exclamation of rude nerve
You say this when someone is very rude.
Examples
- The gall of it—he borrowed my car and returned it with an empty tank!
- The gall of that politician, pretending nothing happened.