n.
a narrow valley. The word is verycommon in Australia, and is frequently used as a place name.It is not, however, Australian. Dr.Skeat (`EtymologicalDictionary') says, «a channel worn by water.» Curiouslyenough, his first quotation is from `Capt. Cook's ThirdVoyage,' b. iv. c. 4. Skeat adds, «formerly written gullet: `It meeteth afterward with another gullet,'i.e. small stream. Holinshed, `Description of Britain,' c. 11:F. goulet, `a gullet . . . a narrow brook or deep gutter ofwater.' (Cotgrave.) Thus the word is the same as gullet.» F. goulet is from Latin gula. Gulch is the wordused in the Pacific States, especially in California.
1773. `Hawkesworth's Voyages,' vol. iii. p. 532 – – Captain Cook'sFirst Voyage, May 30, 1770:
«The deep gullies, which were worn by torrents from the hills.»
1802. D. Collins, `Account of New South Wales,' vol. ii.p. 214:
«A man, in crossing a gully between Sydney and Parramatta, was,in attempting to ford it, carried away by the violence of thetorrent, and drowned.»
1862. H. C. Kendall, `Poems,' p. 17:
«The gums in the gully stand gloomy and stark.»
1867. A.L. Gordon, `Sea-spray, etc.,' p. 134:
«The gullies are deep and the uplands are steep.»
1875. Wood and Lapham, `Waiting for the Mail,' p. 16:
«The terrible blasts that rushed down the narrow gully, as ifthrough a funnel.»