verb (used without object), gar·gled, gar·gling.
- to wash or rinse the throat or mouth with a liquid held in the throat and kept in motion by a stream of air from the lungs.
verb (used with object), gar·gled, gar·gling.
- to gargle (the throat or mouth).
- to utter with a gargling sound.
noun
- any liquid used for gargling.
- a gargling sound.
verb
- to rinse (the mouth and throat) with a liquid, esp a medicinal fluid by slowly breathing out through the liquid
- to utter (words, sounds, etc) with the throaty bubbling noise of gargling
noun
- the liquid used for gargling
- the sound produced by gargling
- British informal an alcoholic drinkwhat was her favourite gargle?
1520s, from Middle French gargouiller “to gurgle, bubble” (14c.), from Old French gargole “throat, waterspout,” perhaps from garg-, imitative of throat sounds, + *goule, dialect word for “mouth,” from Latin gula “throat.” Related: Gargled; gargling. The earlier, native, form of the word was Middle English gargarize (early 15c.).
1650s, from gargle (v.).
v.
- To force exhaled air through a liquid held in the back of the mouth, with the head tilted back, in order to cleanse or medicate the mouth or throat.
n.
- A medicated fluid used for gargling.throatwash