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Definition of "gimlet" []

  • A small hand tool having a spiraled shank, a screw tip, and a cross handle and used for boring holes. (noun)
  • A cocktail made with vodka or gin, sweetened lime juice, and sometimes effervescent water and garnished with a slice of lime. (noun)
  • To penetrate with or as if with a gimlet. (verb-transitive)
  • Having a penetrating or piercing quality: gimlet eyes. (adjective)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "gimlet" in a sentence
  • "Sator: I'm more a martini guy myself, but that gimlet is in the top five."
  • "A gimlet is a strong drink with a distinctive sweet sharp tang to it that is refreshing and elegant."
  • "Brendan probably means gauntlet, since a gimlet is a small boring tool for penetrating wood."