/ dʒel; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
[ U , C ] a thick substance like jelly, especially one used in products for the hair or skin :
hair / shower gel
■ verb ( -ll- )
1.
[ v ] ( BrE ) (also jell NAmE , BrE ) ( of two or more people ) to work well together; to form a successful group :
We just didn't gel as a group.
2.
[ v ] ( BrE ) (also jell NAmE , BrE ) ( of an idea, a thought, a plan, etc. ) to become clearer and more definite; to work well :
Ideas were beginning to gel in my mind.
That day, everything gelled.
3.
[ v ] (also jell especially in NAmE ) ( technical ) ( of a liquid ) to become thicker and more solid; to form a gel
4.
[ vn ] [ usually passive ] to put gel on your hair
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WORD ORIGIN
noun and verb sense 4 late 19th cent.: abbreviation of gelatin .
verb senses 1 to 3 late 19th cent.: gel from gel gelatin ; the variant jell is a back-formation from jelly .