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gulf
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As a noun, gulf means a hollow place in the earth. As a verb, it means award a degree to somebody who has only just passed sufficiently.
Meanings of gulf
11 meaningsnoun
A hollow place in the earth; an abyss; a deep chasm or basin.
That which swallows irretrievably; a whirlpool; a sucking eddy.
geographyA portion of an ocean or sea extending into the land; a partially landlocked sea
“the Gulf of Mexico    the Persian Gulf”
miningA large deposit of ore in a lode.
figurativeA wide interval or gap; a separating space.
figurativeA difference, especially a large difference, between groups.
oxbridge slangThe bottom part of a list of those awarded a degree, for those who have only just passed.
An arm of a sea or ocean partly enclosed by land; larger than a bay
An unbridgeable disparity (as from a failure of understanding)
“he felt a gulf between himself and his former friends”
“there is a vast disconnect between public opinion and federal policy”
Similar: disconnect, disconnection
Older and rare meanings (1)
obsoleteThat which swallows; the gullet.
verb
oxbridge slangTo award a degree to somebody who has only just passed sufficiently.
Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).