gudgeon

1 small spiny-finned fish of coastal or brackish waters having a large head and elongated tapering body having the ventral fins modified as a sucker [syn: goby]

2 small slender European freshwater fish often used as bait by anglers [syn: Gobio gobio]

English

Pronunciation

• /ˈgʌʤən/

Etymology 1

From Old (and modern) French goujon, from Latin gobio, from gobius ‘goby’.

Noun

1. A small freshwater fish, Gobio gobio, that is native to Eurasia.
2. Any of various similar small fish of the family Eleotridae, often used as bait.
3. An idiot.

Translations

Etymology 2

From gudyon, ultimately from lang=la.

Noun

1. A type of bearing: a circular fitting, often made of metal, which is fixed onto some surface and allows for the pivoting of another fixture.
2. Specifically, in a vessel with a stern-mounted rudder, the fitting into which the pintle of the rudder fits to allow the rudder to swing freely.

Derived terms

• gudgeon pin

Translations

See also

For the freshwater fish, see gudgeon (fish).

In general, a gudgeon is a circular fitting, often made of metal, which is fixed onto some surface. It allows for the pivoting of another fixture. It is generally used with a pintle, which is a male type of hinge pin which pivots in the hole in the gudgeon. As such, a gudgeon is a simple bearing.

In engines, a gudgeon pin joins the small end of a connecting rod to a piston or crosshead.

In sailing, pintles insert into gudgeons that are normally affixed to the transom of a boat. Normally, the corresponding pintle fitting on the rudder slides, lowers or clips into the gudgeon. There are variations where gudgeons are mounted to the rudder and boat, and a pivot clevis pin is inserted into these gudgeons, or the pintles are fastened to the boat, and gudgeons are attached to the rudder. In any case, the fitting with the hole is refered to as a gudgeon. They are used to attach the rudder to the boat so that it can swing freely. The rudder can then be turned with the tiller.

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