Because I'm too bone idle to find the eymology of these words I'll ask you fine people instead! I was thinking this morning on my daily travelling through said 'tunnel', what an odd word. Rhymes with 'funnel'- as far as I can tell the only one- means something similar, the passage of an objects, etc. through a narrow passageway. Plus, they don't have any alternative meanings, only analgeous ones- (sorry, been supping real ale, I can't be bothered to work if that's the right spelling either!)Your thoughts, folks!

Runnel?
Gunwhale?

Interestingly, they are connected; see http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=funnel&searchmode=none

Thanks Arnie! I suspected that there was probably a similar etymology. It was just one of those odd questions I get in my head when driving a truck around all day! I did think of gunwhale- couldn't for the life of me remember how it was spelt, apart from knowing it wasn't gunnel! I think it's one of those words you associate with pirate movies when the actor playing the pirate captain has to sound suitably nautical- I always think of Robert Newton's eye-rolling portrayal in "Treasure Island", although Geoffrey Rush did a suitably hammy job in "Pirates of the Caribbean", also complete with eye-rolling, de-rigeur for a pirate captain apparently!

quote: "gunwale". For those like me (I?) who are vague about what that word means but are too shy to ask, here is the look-up:

gunwale: the upper edge or planking of the side of a boat. to the gunwales informal so as to be almost overflowing.
Etymology: a gonne walle was originally the place where a ships guns (read 'cannon') were supported on a platform (wale = "plank").

This message has been edited. Last edited by: wordnerd,

But there is gunnel, too, right? Isn't that another name for gunwale? Obviously a relation.

I used to know someone whose nickname was Gunnel because of his great skill at being able to balance on the gunnels of the canoe w/o tipping.