gimlet

1 of 4

noun (1)

gim·​let ˈgim-lət 

: a small tool with a screw point, grooved shank, and cross handle for boring holes

Illustration of gimlet

gimlet

2 of 4

adjective

: having a piercing or penetrating quality

gimlet

3 of 4

verb

gimleted; gimleting; gimlets

transitive verb

: to pierce as if with a gimlet

gimlet

4 of 4

noun (2)

: a drink consisting of sweetened lime juice and gin or vodka and sometimes carbonated or plain water

Examples of gimlet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

As a result, the daiquiri is made with banana rum, Aphrodite bitters, and spices; the gimlet contains Opihr gin, curry leaves, and pink peppercorns; and the martini combines vodka, Kashmiri chili, and pickle brine. —Anna Sulan Masing, Vogue, 13 Sep. 2024

He’s got still-intact, onetime-heartthrob looks, bangs that fall right in the place that devastates you, and a smile that’s expressive even when his gimlet eyes aren’t. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 2 Aug. 2024

Then Ser Simon Strong interrupts, asking him about the duck, and Daemon comes back to reality at the dinner table, where Alys Rivers is watching him with a gimlet eye. —Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 14 July 2024

Take a moment to look at Europe’s burgeoning turmoil through Vladimir Putin’s gimlet eyes. —Lee Hockstader, Washington Post, 12 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French guimbelet, from Middle French (Picard), modification of Middle Dutch wimmelkijn, from wimmel wimble

Noun (2)

probably from gimlet entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1752, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1840, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1928, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing gimlet

• gimlet-eyed

Kids Definition

gimlet

noun

gim·​let

ˈgim-lət

: a small tool with a screw point and cross handle for boring holes