A narrow channel or ravine formed by water erosion, typically found on hillsides or in arid regions. Also refers to a fielding position in cricket near the batsman.
From French 'goulet', meaning 'narrow passage' or 'bottleneck', ultimately from Latin 'gula' (throat). The word entered English in the 16th century, initially describing water channels before extending to cricket terminology in the 19th century.
Gullies are nature's sculptors, carving dramatic landscapes through the patient work of water erosion over centuries. In cricket, the fielding position called 'gully' gets its name from being a narrow gap between other fielders, showing how sports terminology often borrows from geography.
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